


The Journey

by FreezePride



Category: Disney - Fandom, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Adventure, Disney, Dysfunctional Family, Family Drama, Fanfiction, Freezepride, Humor, M/M, Other, Romance, kingdom hearts - Freeform, the journey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-29
Updated: 2018-02-06
Packaged: 2018-02-27 10:02:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 64,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2688704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FreezePride/pseuds/FreezePride
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darkness lingers at the threshold of the doors between worlds. The reawakened nobodies are at as loss as how to protect all that they hold dear, when it finally occurs to them: in order to fall pray to the Darkness, it has to catch them first. Aeleus, Even, Ienzo, Lumaria and Arlene are now all on the run and only their powers, their wit and their dumb luck can save them as they buy time for the Keyblade Wielders to train.  Will they be able to band together to survive?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The day was bright and sunny, not at all like the day one might expect an adventure of this nature to begin on.  No, there were no looming slate colored clouds to block out the sun’s cheery rays, no crashes of thunder to interrupt the bubbling tunes of the songbirds, there was not even a drop of rain to dampen the cheerful green leaves of the verdant forests surrounding the castle grounds of Ansem the Wise.  This was certainly not the kind of day to on which something terrible happens.  
  
But something terrible was, in fact, happening and there was nothing which could be done to stop it.  
  
The vibrant rays of light poured down on the expectant fresh green leaves of the roses, which, splayed outward, seemed to soak in the attention willing, needy.  Their overseer watched with keen interest, and a subtle approving nod, a smile barely gracing his delicately handsome features, as though his emotions were carefully hidden behind his own beautiful mask.  With a graceful, yet purposeful gesture, patted the dirt from his palms against his cotton pants and wiped the sweat from his brow.  Comfortably warm as this weather may be, he had still been working since early morning to tend to the newest spring blooms as they struggled at their weakest.  
  
“Lumaria!” The man perked, casting a glance over to the approaching female as she neared with purposeful gait.  “Will you stop digging around the the dirt for five minutes and just calm down?” She snipped, casting a baleful glance from his face to his dirt covered hands, to the appreciative roses and then back again.  Hand on one curvaceous hip, she sighed exasperated as electric blue eyes stared up into the crystalline tones of her companion’s.  “They look great.  Are you done yet?” She asked in a tone that was quite clearly telling him that he was already done.  
  
“For now, yes.” He humored her with a winning smile, watching as her eyes were locked on to his hands with a exasperation that demanded he wash up immediately.  “The new blooms have been accounted for but one can never be too careful.” His voice was smooth, calm despite the sweat which glistened on his porcelain face, telling of exactly how many hours of concentration he had spent tending to the blossoms.  They certainly showed it.  
  
“They look great, let’s go.” She ended the subject, absolutely deadpan with a grudging grin on her impatient face.  Running a stray hand through her short blond hair, she reflected that she should be used to this by now, she really should.  Lumaria’s obsession with gardening was nothing new, and frankly, her own allowance of it really did nothing to change this fact.  
  
But why fix something that wasn’t broken?, She gave an exasperated sigh, but then again, she was probably the only one in Radiant Garden who could give such a dramatic sigh and still look pleased.  
  
Meanwhile, within the castle, things were going just as mundanely as they did on a daily basis, unbeknownst of anything which might be even minutely (or even heart-wrenchingly) amiss.  
  
The library was vast.  It was a kaleidoscope of the written word, a shrine paying homage to knowledge and those with the gumption, intelligence and general insanity to stick with it.  Books lined the walls, ordered with the precision of soldiers in prim uniforms, awaiting commands to jump forth and serve at their master’s whim.  Cheery sunlight dodged and filtered through heavy velvet curtains which muffled the sounds of the outside world, closing the volumes in a protective padding of gentle soundless air, outlawing distractions dutifully and even forcefully.  
  
Volumes were stacked from floor to ceiling, parchment spiraled neatly at their designated shelves and corners.  The only aspect of the libraries which seemed out of place were it’s occupants, who greedily devoured the text before them like men starved.  
  
The blond man seated at a desk was hunched over peering down a scientific tomb and writing at a rate which many would argue was physically impossible.  His verdant green eyes did not blink as they scanned the text, just as his hand did not pause in it’s efforts.  His cornsilk hair paled in the strong sunlight, casting it a in nearly white hues as he worked on tirelessly, a man obsessed and far too focused.  
  
His companion glanced one crystalline blue eye over his own volume (the other eye characteristically hidden by a curtain of slate blue hair), to spy on his counterpart with a knowing frustration.  He was in one of those moods again.  With an easy shift in his padded armchair, for the study truly was like a second home to him, he adjusted his lab coat and slipped the book shut in lieu of a heavy piece of papyrus to peer down at to distract himself from the scritch-scritch of his companion’s pen.  With a roll of his eye, he knew without even bothering to ask that Even would be lost within his own studies for weeks, and may even forget that there are still people here in the castle with him with the same goal as he: to protect and restore Radiant Gardens and avoid becoming drones of the wicked Xehanort once again.  
  
His slender finger ran across the rough surface of the page, testing and prodding as he read through the dead language with an expertise that only a prodigy could boast, but then again, could he really expect any less of himself?  The drones of Xehanort were putting things lightly, and he shared the worry that he saw written all over his mentor’s face.  Even was not a man to take things lightly on a good day, what would stop him from taking it even worse on a stressful one.  
  
And thus the tense silence between them hung thickly like a fog, even in the beautiful weather that threatened to interrupt them from the windowsill.  Neither noticed.  Neither cared.  Ienzo was looking at Even; Even was looking at his book and no one was even thinking of the guards.  Perhaps they should have been, because as Even sighed and ran a stray hand through his own blond locks and Ienzo muttered darkly that their studies were getting them absolutely nowhere, terrible things were beginning to happen right under their noses.  
  
“Go away!” Dilan’s voice was raw, loud, and nigh inhuman.  The sheer tone of it was something which Aeleus recognized but certainly did not want to admit to.  Admitting, even inwardly, was giving up hope and hope was what the former apprentices were running off of since their reintroduction to this world: hope and sheer, stubborn will to live once again as they did before.  
  
The braided guard was hunched over, wheezing and doing his damnedest to cover his face, his eyes, anything at all and even going so far as to fling his weapon away from himself sloppily and haphazardly.  They stood on the edge of the dense forest which surrounded the castle, and yet, even this bright, sing-song weather seemed enough to penetrate through the vast leaves of the soaring trees.  None of their mood seemed to touch the braided guard as he staggered backward.  The shadows of the trees leaned towards him, grasping at him like a needy lover.  
  
“You’re better than this, Dilan.” Aeleus might have been able to convince himself that he was calm, but for the tremor in his hand as he clutched his axe, the leaden dread which settled in the pit of his stomach, heavy and unwieldy.  The darkness was before him, around him, and eating away at his brother in arms.  His words seemed all that might be able to reach him beyond physical force, and Gods forbid that he should have to use the latter.  He cursed his luck, that his only available weapon be a spoken one, so unwieldy to a man of action such as himself.  Words were the proper tool of an academic like Ienzo or Even, and were best left to them.  He groaned, hating and fearing his own physical strength and knowing the outcome of the battle which was rapidly approaching.  
  
“SAVE YOURSELF!” Dilan’s voice was rapidly leaving him as the darkness gripped at his throat, clawing at him from the inside out, the ravenous beast which he so desperately sought to hide finally taking it’s toll on the physical.  Aeleus fought the urge to rush forward, to shake him out of this foolishness, this folly.  He refused to let his friend be ransacked by the darkness which had plagued them so horrifyingly before.  He would not allow Dilan to be torn asunder, to be converted back into his crudest, coldest, most inhumanly vicious form.  
  
Back to Xaldin.  
  
Aeleus rushed forward, not knowing what he was going to do, not knowing how to remedy what was so heinously amiss, but knowing that he needed to do something before it was far too late. “Fight it!” He urged, and his cry might have been something of a comfort if it wasn’t for the fear in his eyes, for the weapon he had dropped in his wake (for how could he possibly fight Dilan?) but it was far too late before it even began.  The tendrils wrapped about the guard and jerked him back before Aeleus could reach him.  The anger on the man’s face was unmistakable, yet the pain was so much more powerful.  In a frozen, despair filled breath of a moment, Aeleus knew he was already too late.  
  
Dilan was dragged into the darkness for a second time and Aeleus was left in the stunned silence of his wake.  Numbly he stared forward, his mind not quite comprehending much else aside from the gentle sway of the blades of grass in the warm breeze on the spot where his friend had stood not just a few seconds before. With a deep breath, he let his heart beat slow, let the adrenaline which had been thundering through his system dwindle until finally he felt his senses return.  
  
Dilan’s sacrifice would not be in vain, and it certainly would not be the end.  Aeleus knew what must be done.  
  
\---------------  
  
“We knew this day would come.” Even always had the innate ability to point out the most bluntly obvious fact at the most inopportune moment, but the gravity of it all had left the entire party rather mute.  Someone needed to break that silence, and frankly, Even had never been very good at keeping his well-learned mouth shut.  Thankfully enough for the lot of them, he was usually correct.  
  
His poison green eyes scanned the congregation with a continually changing outlook.  It was serious and heavy when he regarded Aeleus and Ienzo, yet tinged with disdain when it finally reached Lumaria and Arlene.  Predictable, the master of the gardens reflected, locking eyes with the scientist as the setting sun cast a gentle glow on the humble living room, turning his normally pale skin to a lively pink.  Aeleus’ own face was shadowed with thought, knit with worry as he cast a dark glance to Ienzo, and then back to his massive hands which were folded neatly, politely before him.  Arlene seemed eager to catch his own attention, and the expression which they exchanged spoke quite clearly where words simply could not.  Thankfully, Arlene had no qualms about making their opinions known.  
  
“We are so screwed.” She chuckled bitterly.  
  
“This is no laughing matter.” Snapped Ienzo, sounding strikingly like his mentor for a brief moment before withdrawing  back into himself, his own face unreadable.  Aeleus knew exactly what he was thinking, he knew that tone better than his own voice.  Arlene was probably right.  
  
“And that is not entirely decided!” Even added speedily, his voice just a touch too loud, hinting at his expectation that he would have to fight to make his voice heard.  When he did not face interruption, to his confused delight, he continued on. “Let us consider the facts before we doom ourselves to heartlessness once again.”   
  
“Fine, lets!” Arlene agreed, her usually sarcastic twitter far too shrill to cover the fear in her voice.  “Xemnas is still out there and he’s willing to hunt us down.  We’re sitting ducks and we don’t stand a chance against a psycho like him!  Darkness forbid that the villagers even try to pretend to care!”  All of her points she ticked off on her manicured fingers were legitimate, truth be told.  Lumaria had always admired her for that fact.  Though she never longed to lead, she always had the uncanny ability to see the truth at face value, and such things were terribly useful, even when one did not want to know the truth.  
  
“We stand alone, if we stand at all.”  Lumaria’s voice was silk, hiding beautifully whatever emotions he might have been feeling.  Steady, calm, even, he let on nothing of what he was thinking: a perfect assassin.  Even twitched uncomfortably at this fact, knowing that their reputation around the village had yet to improve despite their prime efforts.  The revamping of their inner technological guard system had rendered heartless attacks nigh unheard of, and their countless hours of study as to how to remedy the damage which had already been wrought had yet to account for much but lost sleep, excessive tension and an ongoing series of migraines.    
  
Aeleus himself could not seem to remember the last time he had slept the full night through.  He sighed deeply, feeling the academic’s eyes on him, asking silently for his opinion.  Worse yet, he felt the expectations of Ienzo as one crystalline blue eye fixated on him from the darkness of his own thoughts.  
  
“He’s right.  If we fight, we die honorably.”  His voice was deep, soft, and almost regretful.  
  
“If only it were so simple.” Even groaned, running his slender fingers through his cornsilk colored hair as he shook his head slowly, as if trying to deny his thoughts, but being a man of fact and logic took it’s toll.  He could only see the situation for what it was worth, and frankly, it was worth a great deal of pain. “If we fight, we lose our hearts.  Not only is Radiant Garden in danger at that point, but also every world we touch thereafter. We are putting lives on the line.”  
  
“So, do you suggest that we run?” Ienzo knew exactly where the conversation was headed, and his focused inquiry was a breath of fresh air in the muddled mind of his counterpart, Aeleus.    
  
Lumaria’a bright eyes narrowing as they caught the last few rays of sunlight.  “Do you take me for a coward?”  
  
“I will not abandon Dilan.” Aeleus persisted staunchly, and not for the first time during their conversation.  Dilan had never been the same since the sudden disappearance of their ‘guard’ counterpart.  The relationship between them was tumultuous at best to begin with, but it had always been something lingeringly strong, Aeleus reflected.  His concern outweighed his curiosity as to exactly why the other man had turned to the darkness, but he was willing to bet that it had something to do with his braided friend’s genuine interest in the other man.  
  
That, and the fact that Dilan had been heartbroken at the loss of him.  
  
“I have no intention of abandoning him either.” Even agreed with an easily sensible logicality.  It was the first thing that seemed ‘sure’ in their conversation since they agreed that they were royally screwed. “He is a powerful ally and we must re-convert him.  This also means that we must be prepared to work with the keyblade masters to ensure that his heart returns intact and complete.”  
  
A beat of silence passed between them as they tried to deny the bitter taste of foul memories and defeat, of learning that Axel, or rather Lea, had been chosen by a keyblade, of reflecting on how very little he knew of the pain they had to suffer in his thoughtless, violent wake.  Ienzo stifled a shudder and Even looked as though he had swallowed a particularly spiny insect.  Arlene rolled her eyes.  Men could be so very dogmatic at times, and she assumed that this may be because of their ‘prideful’ nature but in retrospect, it simply kept leading her to the same conclusion: Men are fucking dumb.  She shared a meaningful glance with Lumaria, who’s answer smirk was supportive, but the worry which sat heavily on his brow did not ease.  Very peculiar.  
  
“And then what?” She shot at Even, assuming him to be the leader of this discussion, the gears of her mind whirring as her eyes flashed cleverly and she fixed him with a clever grin. “We can either sit here and wait like a bunch of idiots, or we lead them in the wrong direction.”  Thinking on her toes, she decided with a small cackle, was definitely her strong suit.  Even seemed dumbfounded and for a shadow of a second, as she held the eyes of the entire gathering.  She crossed her arms, hoping that an outward sign of boredom would hide her discomfort.  
  
“Yes!” Even all but shouted, quite pleasantly surprised with the prospect of an answer aside from the most obvious.  Ienzo tilted his head pensively as Aeleus looked from the young woman to the scholar and then back, as though trying to garner something far deeper than just words of agreement.  There was a plan simmering here, and one which simply needed a bit of extra attention to by the right people.  “For once, your foul mouthed antics have produced an outcome which I do not entirely oppose with every fiber of my being.” Yes, she knew it was too good to be true.  Leave it up to the scientist to ruin a perfectly enjoyable moment.  “If we were to travel away from here, I would safely assess that not only would we draw the darkness away from this world for the time being, but we could buy time for the keyblade masters to hunt down Dilan’s heart to free it.  Not only that, but there are the other former members to keep in mind.”  
  
The thoughtful pause brought to mind all those who were not present, those who had chosen to go and travel before even the thought of escape from the claws of darkness had begun.  “Are we looking to warn them?” Ienzo leaned forward in his seat, fixing a steady look at Even, who answered in turn.  
  
“It would only be logical.”   
  
Aeleus crossed his arms over his well built frame, uncharacteristically tense,  yet understandably so.  This was no small decision.  “And, would we bring the darkness to their doorstep in doing so, if we truly are being pursued.”  
  
“But would it not be far worse if they were simply caught off guard altogether?” Lumaria murmured, clearly siding with Arlene.  To his surprise, Aeleus nodded that he, indeed, had a valid point and yet he did not ease in the slightest.  His stance was still tense as ever.  
  
Ienzo shook his head, slowly and thoughtfully as though trying to piece himself together in the wake of being punched in the stomach.  Sometimes, life was like that, he reflected in frustration.  “This is very sudden.” He admitted.  Even hummed in agreement as Aeleus put a comforting hand on his shoulder.  It made the young prodigy wonder exactly why anyone would ever consider the guardsman to be emotionally blunt.  There was more understanding in that one action than he had felt since awakening.  
  
“So, it’s decided?” There was a note of restless finality to his tone, a hint of fear, yet decided assuredness.    
  
With a frozen pause, each of them seemed about to protest.  Even looked with absolute distaste at Lumaria, who glared back with an unreadable grin on his smooth features.  Ienzo locked eyes with Aeleus for reassurance before he cast his glare on Arlene, who crossed her legs in a marked response and dared him to protest.  Yet, they all remained remarkably silent.  They knew, intrinsically, that there was safety in numbers.  If they were to break apart, one could safely assume that their days were numbered.  They hadn’t the power to boast that sort of freedom at this time.  
  
And who knew what Xehanort would be planning for them.  
  
“We should prepare to leave.” Lumaria broke the silence in what might have been considered a command if one looked just a touch too closely.  Undoubtedly, it earned him a warning glance from the academic’s piercing green eyes.  
  
“I’ll discuss this matter with the restoration committee.” Even said bluntly, as though to contest Lumaria directly.  Aeleus sighed softly.  Some people never changed.  “We will meet back here tomorrow morning.  We leave at the break of dawn.”  
  
“Really?” Arlene blurted out, barely contained in her scorn of the notion.  “Do you hate sleep or something?  I know you don’t get much of it, but that’s no reason to rob a woman of her me-time!  It’s very important!” She finished with a scowl, finally settling for a rude gesture as she existed.  Lumaria followed her smoothly, shooting one last glare at Even, who steadily returned it.  
  
Aeleus seemed concerned with the broodingly silent Ienzo, who seemed rather concerned with himself at that moment.  Even folded his hands on his lap and retreated into his own troubled thoughts.  
  
The scientist had to admit, things like these simply were not to happen on days like this.  It should have, by all arguments of the weather, been rainy, cold and miserable, and yet the benevolently gentle sun had settled just below the horizon line, turning the sky to a flaming red and dying the world a hopeful shade of pink.    
  
It reminded him fearfully of fire.  
  



	2. Preparations

Preparations had gone surprisingly smoothly, all things considered, and Even had the terribly sinking feeling that this may very well be the only aspect of this game of ‘cat and mouse’ which would.  There were so many variables on the line, so very many chances to muck things up completely, that the scientist felt that if his luck was quickly running out even before their journey began. Being a man of logic, he knew that to achieve their goals, they would need to utilize all of their cunning, resourcefulness, and power.  
  
He knew that the odds were slim, but he had seen less likely events occur, least of which getting their hearts back.  
  
He set his tool case down, hearing the comfortingly familiar clank of bottles of chemicals and drafts of potions jostling for a better position, or instruments crammed into the side pockets pulling at the stitching.  Throwing his lab coat about his shoulders, he found it fit him strangely well for him having not used it in quite some time.  Occurrences like this were not unheard of, he reflected.  They seemed to happen more and more often upon his return from heartlessness.  Yet, there were still a great many changes which grated at his nerves, ones which he felt he might never be able to fully abide by.  
  
The glares of the townspeople was one of them.  Truly, the ‘Radiant Garden Restoration Committee’ had not been the slightest bit pleased to see the apprentices return.  In actuality, they made no qualms about how much they despised them for their unwitting betrayal.  True, they had left let them be after seeing that they were doing their damnest to restore Ansem’s castle and the surrounding town to it former glory (and with the additional brilliance of Even and Ienzo tampering with the defense system as well as skilled and trained warriors like Aeleus and Dilan to guard the outer walls with an unceasing obedience, one would think they would be a bit more appeased), but their displeasure was only to be expected.  They had, after all, caused this mess.  
  
Even snapped his bag closed with a heavy sigh.  He could avoid the rather weighty job no longer.  It was time to confront them, inform them of what they were doing and the importance that it would serve in the long run. It was only logical after all.  Hopefully they would be tacticians enough to understand that.  
  
Meanwhile, Arlene had decided that packing was fucking boring and decided to, instead, do the next logical progression of activities: drinking.  She had her kunai and she had extra undies.  What else did a gorgeous girl like her really need on a prolonged trip anyway? If she was going to be forced to be with a crabby old scientist, a stoic guard who was built like Adonis, an emo little bookworm, and of course (the only companion she could actually see herself standing after about an hour or so) an equally gorgeous, if not a bit power-obsessed man, she shouldn’t really be forced to do much work in turn.    
  
She munched on a few chips as she threw some darts around her room with an agility and accuracy which few could brag, and fewer still could manage while licking salt off of her other fingertips.  
  
They should be going already, she reasoned, throwing a few stray bottles of rum into her open bag just for good measure.  Darkness knew she would need it.  
  
There was a soft knock on her door.  She knew that knock, and her pulse quickened despite herself.  “What?” She called with a smirk, giving him permission to enter as she crossed her arms and and leaned one one hip with an air of aloofness which, she hoped, hid her attentiveness.  Her door opened gently and revealed Lumaria, whose soft pink hair fell about his crystalline blue eyes with a nonchalance that made him absolutely delectable, in her opinion.  His even, calm expression always seemed so self assured, even in the uncertainty of their new plans, their recent discoveries. He was carrying a reasonably sized bag of his own possessions, plain black leather with silver latches.  His clothing was far too unassuming for one so beautiful, she reflected, tilting her head at the newcomer.  
  
“You’re finished packing?” He questioned, giving the mess of her quarters a wary eye as though something might jump out of her scattered mess and attack him.  She gave him a wry grin.  
  
“Of course.” She replied lazily.  “And you?”  
  
“Yes.” There was the ghost of a grin, a knowing smirk on his smooth face.  She knew what that meant all too well.  “Care for a distraction?”  
  
“I thought you’d never ask.” She laughed and beaconed him inside.  He shut the door behind him.  The lock clicked into place a heartbeat later, though Arlene wouldn’t have been able to tell.  Her’s was racing.  
  
Meanwhile, Ienzo couldn’t decide how many books would be overkill.  He supposed in all of their travels, they would need to know of antidotes, drafts and potion making, so having three separate books on that would be useful, but could it not still be considered important to have his seven more books on cultural literature on hand, in case they had to deal with some nasty locals who did not take normally welcome to those of their kind?  He was torn on the subject, and that could only mean one thing as far as he was concerned.  Bring them all.  
  
His lexicon glowed brilliantly and slammed open with an impressive force, knocking several parchment scrolls from their vantage point on the desk before targeting the several different volumes of text which Ienzo had in mind for bringing.  With a sound almost like the hungry suck of a drain pipe, the books disappeared  and his Lexicon dimmed.  He patted the large volume appreciatively.  It never let him down, he reflected with more than a bit of pride.  
  
He was always searching for more knowledge, and his own weapon reflected that with a particular astuteness that he felt could be replicated by no other object.  It seemed to be an outward expression of his soul, in retrospect.  He loved his Lexicon in a way that he felt none of the other members of their apprenticeship or even the former organization could understand.  To the others, their weapons were defenders, aggressors or even just the outward expression of their ill-intent.  Ienzo’s Lexicon was almost like a familiar to him.  It understood what he needed, it showed him exactly what he was looking for, even when he wasn’t sure for what he searched.  It was a comfort which few understood.  True, lately it had been showing him a great many landscapes of trees and forests, but that was nothing to be too worried about.  Maybe it was worried that he needed fresh air.  
  
Either way, he was making sure to prepare himself in the only way he saw fit; with knowledge.  Knowledge was power and power would serve them better than anything else that these other raving lunatics could bring.  Excluding Aeleus, Ienzo was absolutely dreading the thought of having to spend more time than necessary with the rest of their malfunctioning group of misfit losers.  He understood the importance, but he had to admit himself nearly unwilling to do so because it insured the prospect of having to deal with them.  Even’s constant nagging and rambling, Arlene’s snarky and crass attitude, Lumaria’s silent superiority complex and subsequent underlying threats, they were all entirely too exhausting.  Aeleus was there to defend him against any possibility of attack, but it should not even be the question of having to deal with this utter ridiculousness.  
  
To be entirely honest, it pissed him off.  
  
He slammed his Lexicon shut (quickly taking a moment to speak soft words of apology to it for his outburst.  These circumstances were already effecting his actions!  Curses!) when he turned to realize that he was not alone.  Stand inside the open door was Aeleus, his guard uniform looking well kept, if not a bit too worn these days for all of the extra work he had to shoulder to keep the town safe from harm.  He was an expert fighter.  He was moreso a caring guardian.  How any one could manage to miss this apparent fact was quite beyond his knowledge, Ienzo reflected, but then again, the stupidity of individuals almost never failed to amaze him.  
  
“Aeleus.” He greeted, knowing that words were a second nature to him, while for his companion, they were anything but natural. “Are you prepared already?”  
  
He shook his head slightly.  “I need to pack food for us.” He admitted.  They shared the thought that if it were up to Even to bring along anything edible, they would be expected to live off of coffee fumes and chemical replacements for meals from now until when they returned, which none of them were really sure of to begin with.  Ienzo would only trust Aeleus with such tasks; the man was an expert when it came to cooking and was unparalleled with his knowledge of nutrition. After all, his body was a calorie burning machine.  The young prodigy used to joke that he was even building muscle when he was sleeping.  Sometimes he wondered if he was correct in this notion, he thought appreciatively as he eyed the other man’s exquisitely formed biceps.  He could give Hercules a run for his money, Ienzo thought with a chuckle.  
  
Aeleus seemed, or perhaps choose not to notice.  It was hard to tell with the other man, but his intentions were typically for what he saw as the best. Ienzo reflected on how someone could possibly perceive the other man as a threat.  Yes, he was rather large and imposing, but could not the same be said that he was almost always the one, without fail, that had their best interests in mind?  People could always manage to be so very dim.  
  
The guard was brilliant.  How could people miss this?  
  
“Carry on.” He replied with an unnecessary flourish to his hand as he went back to going through his volumes upon volumes upon volumes of content which he deemed appropriate for bringing along.  Darkness only knew he would need some extra distractions.  Aeleus fixed him with a knowing look, an almost smile before he turned to leave once again.  
  
The following morning came too soon.  Ienzo knew that this was because the entire party had been dreading that moment.  Arlene suspected it had been a trick of the light, or because that old geezer scientist had insisted on leaving at daybreak.  Lumaria was certain that it most likely had to do with the shifting of the fields of power, the surroundings sensing a change before they could even confirm it entirely.  Aeleus suspected it was because the task ahead of them would not be as easy as they first thought it to be, and none of them had thought it to be fairly simple to begin with.  
  
Out of all of them though, it was Even that looked the most lost in his own reasoning.  He knew that the morning had come too quickly because he had not bothered to sleep to prepare for it.  The sun had been a rather rude alarm clock to a night which had not needed it to begin with.  It was cheerful, bright, hopeful and everything which the assembled party was not.  Even had instructed that they meet at the gummi ship docks within the castle courtyards.  
  
The memories of his previous encounter with the so-called ‘Restoration Committee’ had been scathing.  He had wanted nothing more than to flee that room at warp speed, but a necessary amount of respect towards the young organization had kept him planted until he made himself entirely clear.  They had been opposed, of course and he had not found that surprising in the slightest.  Perhaps it sounded suspicious, from their vantage point, that they had wanted to lead the enemy away in order to try to free Dilan from the snare of his own heartlessness, and also to provide the keyblade wielders with more time to train before the darkness took the battle to the homefront.  They had suspected him from the moment he entered, and while he had braced himself for such a reaction, it didn’t make the initial impact any easier.  
  
He had been a respectable scientist at one time.  Now, it simply felt like he was a child asking for permission.  It was painfully obvious that they had wanted to protest, but Even had not been asking wholeheartedly for their blessing.  No, he had been telling them what was going to be happening.  He had a rather forceful way of making his own intentions known, even when the listener did not truly want to hear it.  
  
Even had said they were leaving to buy them time and act as a distraction.  It was a simple game of cat and mouse; surely they could understand that, if not benefit from it.  They had fixed him with a collective perplexed look.  Aeris alone was the only one who seemed to trust him.  Her wide green eyes fixed in a gaze begged that he do the right thing; that he be a better man.  His memories of his dark deeds reasoned that it was too late for such things.  His logical brain argued that it was more than possible and he should stop being such a damned ‘poet’.  
  
The underground docks for all of the gummi ships might have been considered a cramped space if not kept so very organized.  Not a bolt was out of place among all of the few ships which the ‘garage’ kept.  They were neatly aligned and gleamingly clean, even in the glaringly harsh light of the florescent lights installed underground for the sake of clarity. Even lead the rest of the party towards a particularly large looking ship, whose cockpit was a breath away from touching the ceiling, gesturing with a fluid motion to it before he even began to speak.  The ship itself was rather unassuming in it’s decoration scheme, but it’s brass exterior shown through the puffs of steam which it admitted at a regular variance with a calm sort of dignity which few possessed.  
  
“We shall ride in Model XXX-11465.” He decided, entirely unapologetic for not consulting the rest of the party.  Arlene shifted her weight to one hip.  
  
“How about we call it Beelzeboss?” There was a pause in which only the hiss of the ship could be heard.  
  
“That is the most stupid-!” Even began but was concisely interrupted.  
  
“That’s quite easy to remember.” Lumaria agreed, peering with a wicked sort of pleasure as the Scientist grit is teeth in response.  “I agree with Arlene.”  
  
“That was not what my creation was supposed to be named!  I prefer we call it Model-” But Even was cut off once again, this time by Ienzo.  
  
“As long as you’re not driving it.” He surrendered, choosing his battles far more carefully as he shifted his own weight.  Lexaeus huffed in agreement behind him, the weight of both of their bags not doing the slightest in tiring the huge man.    
  
With a wicked smile, Even fixed the entire party with a grin which could freeze a sinner in church.  “Of course I’m driving.  It’s my ship.” He cackled.  “And if you’d prefer otherwise, you’re free to hitch-hike across the space time continuum, but as far as our ride goes, the pilot seat is mine.”


	3. Atlantis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When our favorite group of travelers finally lands in their first world, they encounter an unlikely friend and an entirely new civilization. But, what is this new darkness that stalks them? And what threats does it pose to their new surroundings?
> 
> As always, the characters are Even, Aeleus, Ienzo, Lumaria (Marluxia's somebody), and Arlene (Larxene's somebody). MarVex and LexZex.

This wasn’t to say that generally the feel of it was something sad, withdrawn or depressing.  It wasn’t the slate sort of blue that preceded a moody silence which spiraled off into the nothingness of the universe.  No, this was a bright and welcoming blue, the sort of blue that foretold an adventure and dared you to take part.  
  
This blue was beaconing one onward, and who dared to refuse such a lure?  
  
The moment that the ship had crossed dimensions from the rapid fire battle of the surrounding asteroid belt, it began to slow with an adept ease that revealed none of the difficulty which it took to drive it.  The sleek brassy exterior slid through the air with the ease of a fish through water before it hovered above the grassy outskirts of the city before slowly lowering itself.  
  
The blue sky was dutifully ignored as the occupants of the ship tumbled off the contraption and on to solid ground with a remarkable thankfulness which could only be achieved through sheer and unadulterated horror. Aeleus quite literally looked to be on the verge of being sick, having turned from a healthy tone of skin, to stark white and then pale green in a matter of seconds.  He had managed to keep himself held together just through his own concentration on the fact that they would be arriving eventually.  Ienzo looked slightly worse for wear, unimpressed and annoyed, but if not entirely different from how he usually seemed (which was, in fact, unimpressed and annoyed).  Arlene looked to be absolutely bristling with rage.  She had a icy glare on her face that dared anyone around her to ask if she was ‘alright’. Thankfully, no one did. Lumaria looked functional but not nearly what one might consider ‘graceful’ as he descended the stairs.  Shell-shocked might have covered the wide eyed stare he was now casting out at his party, seeing them but not really quite seeing them.  
  
Even strolled out.  He was absolutely fine.    
  
The shriek of anger from Arlene, combined with the snide, whining tones of Ienzo, along with the amazed silence of Lumaria and the soft groan of sickness from Aeleus was enough to make the self assured man jump back in horror, a distance of which he would never willingly admit in polite company.  It all really boiled down into one statement though:  
  
“Why do you drive like that?”  Seemed to be the entire question in chorus, all of the assembled party seeming to think that this was something on which they could have common ground.   
  
“Like what?” Even quipped, eyebrow raised, trying just a hint too hard not to know what they were speaking of.  
  
“Like you have a death wish.” Lumaria finished, an annoyed twinge to his usually smooth, deep tones.  
  
Even drew himself up, looking far more self-important than he could actually brag.  “I do not drive like I have a death wish.” He snapped, indignantly.  
  
“No, you drive like you want to kill all of us.” Arlene shot back.  Aeleus groaned in the background, almost as if in agreement.  
  
“That’s a lie-”  
  
“No, it’s the truth.” Ienzo interjected with the battle-worn air of one who has experienced this situation before time and time again.  He was answered with a scathing glare from the man in question.  He dutifully ignored it, running a stray hand through his slate gray hair and taking deep breaths to gain back his equilibrium. “I have never had a ride with you that I have not deeply regretted giving you the wheel.”  
  
“SILENCE!  I’m an impeccable driver, and furthermore, it’s MY ship!” Even screeched, gesturing to the exquisite machine beside him.  
  
“Doesn’t give you the right to nearly murder us.” Arlene huffed, glancing back to Aeleus who looked sicker than she’d ever seen the big man look before.  Ienzo approached him, touching his arm gently to get his attention.  The other man straightened, looking (if possible) more grim than usual, but the paleness was fading into his usual healthy shade, even as he glanced down.  He nodded, keeping his mouth carefully, tightly closed.    
  
Lumaria was fixing Even with a pointed stare which made the scientist squirm slightly under his gaze.  “You created this ship?” He questioned, leaning against the railing while his sense of direction righted itself after it’s topsy turvy ride.  
  
“Yes.” He responded with a note of pride which he kept carefully in check, giving the ship itself an affectionate pat. “I built it in order to travel between worlds at the fastest available speeds.” Ienzo snorted from somewhere in the background. “Some may consider it a result of my impatience,” he shot a searing glare at the young prodigy before turning back to the other man. “but it’s effectiveness cannot be disputed.”  
  
Lumaria seemed thoughtful at this comment but said nothing in return, only running his sapphire blue eyes across the ship’s exterior before he heard a noise behind them.  He whirled around, forgetting his own sickness completely and drawing a short dagger from his boot.  If this was to be an ambush, he would certainly not be caught unawares.  They would have to do better than this to fool the most adapt Assassin this world and any other had ever encountered.  The others had been set on their guard, glancing over to the source of Lumaria’s sudden motions only to be greeted in quite an unexpected way.  
  
“Master Even?”  Apparently he liked the sound of that epithet, because Even perked up rather speedily at the sound of that solitary voice.  He peered forward, into the aqua mist which surrounded them like the haze of a fog, questioning his memory for a moment, mouthing the name before he finally spoke in response.  
  
“Milo Thatch.” It was far more of a statement, a sure-footed command than a question.  All the same, another young man tumbled forward from the murkiness which encapsulated them.  He had yellowish blond hair and large, thick, round glasses which perched on the end of a straight-bridged nose,  his lanky body flailing somewhat as he stepped blindly forward, but regardless, he looked rather elated.  
  
“It is you!” He exclaimed, rushing forward and grasping the tall scientist by the hand, shaking vigorously so that Even’s hair was a blur of cornsilk blond before he pulled away, massaging his fingers slightly with a grimace.  ‘Milo’, apparently, was a bundle of energy which could not possibly be contained by his scrawny body which was dressed in a tunic-like robe of deep aqua which matched the blues which circulated about him almost exactly.  If it had not been for his clumsy motions, he would have been extremely well hidden.    
  
Even seemed amazed to see the young man, but nothing compared to the sheer awe which the other man was displaying.  “How did you get here?” He asked, his eyes, if possible, wider than before, his glasses magnifying them unnecessarily.  Even gestured to the sleek ship behind them, it’s shining surface dulled by the blue mist surrounding them.  
  
“Oh.” Milo nodded succinctly, taking a moment to glance at the impressive sight before turning back to the ‘Master’.  “Who are your companions?” He asked tentatively, giving a worried glance to Aeleus’ rather impressive size and grim demeanor.  
  
Even stepped around the gathered individuals, gesturing to each one rather smoothly.  “This is Lumaria, Arlene,” he pointed, Milo’s eye following in rapt attention.  “Aeleus, and Ienzo.  Of course, you know me.” He finished indulgently, poison green eyes glinting in the murky atmosphere as he seemed to relish that finishing statement.  
  
And truly, Milo seemed enchanted.  “It’s been ages, Master Even.” He burst out, looking at the scientist fondly.  “My apprenticeship ended a while ago, but I always wondered how you were doing.  It’s so difficult to communicate,” He paused, dropping his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “between worlds.” He finally finished.  
  
The entire assembled party of natives stared at the ship, dumbfounded. So much for keeping a low profile, Ienzo reflected.  
  
“Well,” Even broke the silence, never having been one to shut up for long. “Where exactly do we find ourselves, Milo?”   
  
The young man gestured grandly in response to the assembled people behind him.  “You’ve reached Atlantis, and these are a few of the Atlantean royal guard.  Truth be told, you’ve landed yourselves quite near to the royal castle’s side of the city, hence why they’re here.” He admitted with a trusting, easy shrug, as though it were entirely normal for the royal assembly to be called out on a breeching of their ‘universe’.  
  
Granted, the Atlantean guards walked with an ease and confidence that came with time and training.  Aeleus was on his guard, upon noting this, but he did not sense danger from these newcomers.  Arlene was giving them an appraising look, noting the graceful drape of their blue garments, the deep, smooth mocha tone of their skin and admitting inwardly that she really was somewhat unnerved at her instinctive association with Xemnas at this fact.  With a subtle shiver that only Lumaria noticed, she crossed her arms in a huff.  
  
Milo opened his arms warmly in welcome to the new guests.  “I’ll take you to the palace.” He motioned for them to follow, his smile wider and more excited then ever.  
  
Oh goody, Ienzo thought sullenly.  Another damn scientist. Just what he needed.  
  
*****  
  
Walking through the greenish blue streets of Atlantis had been quite the eyeopening experience.  In their own subtle way, the hanging drapes and storefronts seemed to have their old flavor of a tired and overused aura, and yet there was a thrum of hope that ran throughout the people that seemed to overturn that first assumption completely.  Children ran through the streets, observing the newcomers curiously with their piercing blue eyes.  It put Ienzo on edge, and while he remained rather sullen, the dynamic duo of scientists up ahead insisted on talking animatedly about how exactly the territory of this new land even worked, exchanging facts in rapt detail which no one cared to listen to entirely.  
  
Aeleus seemed concerned, casting worried glance to Ienzo every once in a while, hoping he didn’t notice (which of course, he always did). Lumaria was, as always, smoothly unreadable beneath his beautiful facade of uncaring.  The hint of a smile at his lips did nothing to betray his thoughts.  Arlene waved to the crowd, sending them a brilliant flash of a grin, whispering to the roset immediately afterwards, “Oh, good lord. Did you see their hair?  They’re all quasi-albinos or something.” She hissed, gesturing to a nearby crowd of curious teenagers.  
  
The introduction to the newest queen of Atlantis had gone much more smoothly, if not a tad bit rushed.  Her royal highness Kidagakash Nedakh (or Kida as she insisted that they call her) was warm with her greeting, but prompt, which all parties appreciated.  Despite the ongoing scientific ramblings going on between Even and Milo, all of those present were rather drawn from their journey.  It was a relief for them to be finally shown to their sleeping den.  
  
Which, to their dismay, seemed to be entire communal.    
  
Marluxia’s eyes narrowed in distaste at the look of the soft cushions which were arranged invitingly on the floor, as though they were an insult to his station in life.  Arlene shrugged at both his pouting and the living arrangements.  Fortunately for the motley crew, their traveling gear had been deposited in their room for their convenience, most likely by the guards who had grudgingly carried them (most likely out of courtesy).    
  
Ienzo was still glaring at the scientific wonder-twins as they made half-hearted attempts to quell their curiosity for the night so that all present could some sleep.    
  
“Well, Gents, it’s been a long day.” Arlene interrupted in a scathing tone as she stretched her deliciously curvy body with a smooth ease. “I’m going to get some much needed shut eye, so nighty night, all.”  And with an elegantly turn on heel, she neared one of the provided embroidered cushions and did something entirely unexpected.  
  
Milo’s eyes widened (if that was entirely possible) as he muttered an apology and left the room hastily in an overexcited blur of blue robes.  Even looked on with disgust before turning to his own self-appointed ‘bed’ as a distraction. Lumaria looked appraisingly at her, rather proud in retrospect, while Ienzo had to admit himself more than a bit amused.  Aeleus turned away respectfully, a blush he would never admit to later tinging his cheeks.  
  
None of them had been aware that Arlene slept in the buff.  
  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's really only so much you can take of excited scientific chatter. Aeleus, Lumaria and Arlene hit the streets while the academics hash out exactly how to protect this land while they happen to be available.

It really had been enough.  For Darkness’s sake, they had been talking for what felt like hours now and that didn’t even account for the insanity of yesterday’s incessant rambling between the scientific wonder twins.  Ienzo contemplated the physics involved with taking one of those ‘turn key’ like crystals and shoving it straight up Even’s-  
  
“Ienzo!” As if on cue, Even’s shrill tone knocked his thoughts from their violent trajectory.  “Have you finished your portion of the translations?” Before the scientist could even continue to nag him further, Ienzo moodily shoved his written pages at him.  He quirked a brow at the implied tone for a word that was never even said. “Calm yourself.” Even chided, hardly giving the young man a second glance as he straightened out the papers and took them back to Milo.  
  
They occupied the castle library within the royal palace of Atlantis. It was not to say that Ienzo was unsurprised, but the room could only be described as humid.  The blue tint of their surroundings did nothing to allay this overwhelming sensation.  The paper seemed soaked to his sensitive fingers, and frankly, he couldn’t even stand thinking on that.  The amount of water which was contaminating these historic, beautiful works was immeasurable and heartbreaking. Now he felt like screaming at Milo for letting this neglect continue.   
  
The entire point of them coming here had been to keep a low profile, to distract the darkness which was, in theory, dogging their every move.  It was not to play ‘the adventuring archeologist’ and try to help translate their volumes and volumes and volumes of work to unlock the secrets of Atlantis’ history.  Granted, Ienzo had been absolutely intrigued by their past, enthralled by their story, overwhelmed by their tragedy, but he’d be damned if he’d admit it to that overexcited little twit.  
  
Milo.  
  
He fumed, looking at Even and Milo as they shared some sort of inside joke and cast Ienzo a sidelong, (and to his eyes) somewhat pitying glance.  The book before him slammed shut, entirely unbidden but not unsatisfying.  Even snapped his attention to the sullen young prodigy.  
  
“Ienzo, what are you-” He began, but Ienzo shoved himself from his seat, sparing Even an unimpressed, bored glance before stepping towards the door.  
  
“I’m heading out for some air.” He deadpanned, waving an uncaring hand before strolling away.  Milo looked dumbfounded as he adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose before looking back to Even for an explanation.  The scientist gave him a one shouldered shrug in response.  
  
“He’s just being sassy again.”  
  
*****  
  
The outdoors of this clear new day were peaceful and serene, aside from the rumble of gossip traveling through the entire city.  It was not hostile in the slightest, Lumaria noted with a good deal of satisfaction as he wore his winning, enigmatic smile while exploring his surroundings.  It had not taken long for him to decide that it was high time he explored this inviting city.  This new culture was oddly welcoming for one that seemed so very hard to read and downright alien to his senses.  It was striking, yet comforting.  
  
The cobblestones of the streets were worn with the activities of centuries of use, wagon wheels digging a track to where the fish vendor was selling his wares, the smell of spices tinging the air with an earthen potent tang, the fruit vendor crying out to the crowds how his produce was simply the finest in all the city.  The hustle, the bustle, the absolute quaintness of it all in it’s predictability; it reminded him unwillingly of home.  
  
His smile faded.  
  
Thankfully enough, he was not alone within the market place.  Peering around to one of the less crowded areas, he nearly missed the still form of Aeleus, which was a feat within itself.  He marveled, amazed for a beat of a moment, that a man built as if from the stone itself, towering at probably around seven feet tall if not more could manage to blend in by simply standing aside and being accommodating to the rest of the crowd.  His expression was, as usual, unreadable, but when a young family passed by and noticed his large frame, he nodded easily at them as a greeting and they seemed quickly allayed as they hurried off.  
  
His back was to a short garden wall.  On the other side, the cough of a child sounded in a weak little huff.  Marluxia peered around the corner, smoothly dodging vendors and shoppers alike.  It was a small child, her white hair falling over her mocha colored skin, just a tinge lighter than all of the other children around the excitement.  She was drawing somewhat restlessly on a few blank scrolls before her with a muddy looking ink and a worn out bamboo rod.  A smiling sun, a happy flower, delightfully lopsided yet surprisingly skilled for one her age.  
  
Her drawings were far happier than she seemed, he noted.  
  
The clatter of stones jolted him from his thoughts.  A few rowdy boys trampled along the path, laughing shrilly as they tossed another few pebbles her way, smearing the still drying ink.  With fearful anger, her little voice rose and shouted something unintelligible by his understanding.  The boys stopped mid-laugh, their cruel smiles frozen on their faces as they faded into fear and then horror.  The young girl smiled, satisfied to see that they were finally taking her beautiful craft seriously.  Of course she didn’t notice the shadow cast from the towering figure directly behind her, glaring stonily down at the boys in a wordless threat.  Aeleus’s thick, tree-trunk sized arms were crossed over his massive chest as he stood his ground. It took mere seconds for the boys to quail in fear and run off shrieking.    
  
Had the girl turned around just a hint faster, or perhaps noticed that lengthy shadow just a second sooner, perhaps she would have spotted Aeleus, but the guardian was a bit too quick on his toes for that.  He had ducked back into his rather mundane hiding space before she had a chance to spot him.  
  
He recognized the slow, sauntering cadence of the sound of her steps before he heard her voice from his side.  “He’s been doing that for hours now.” Arlene murmured in undertones by way of greeting him.  Marluxia knew exactly what that trill of her voice meant; she was intrigued. “Seems pretty genuine.” She trailed, and Lumaria felt her lean casually on one hip.  He spared her a sidelong glance, taking not of how exquisitely those draping fabrics lay on her curved form.  Aqua blue suited her, he had to admit.  
  
“They certainly didn’t call him the ‘Silent Hero’ for nothing.” Came a snide remark to his other side.  Ienzo’s footfalls were quick, yet careful as he approached the duo. His eyes, though, were locked on the stoic man who was thankfully out of earshot. He walked easily and faked boredom quite well, Lumaria decided, glancing at his own robed form, and noting it’s measured grace, but the stressful knot of how he held his shoulders was something which even Ienzo couldn’t have discerned.  
  
Trying to prove something, hm, Ienzo?  
  
As if on cue, sensing the presence of his counterpart, Aeleus cast his attention around and then directly at the assembled trio before they could continue their discussion. Something about his stern expression seemed to ease as he tilted his head in slight confusion.  Ienzo cast him a knowing smile.  The small child, the lonely past-time, the bullies being deterred all to easily by a certain someone.  It was all too familiar.  Ienzo gave him a small wave of greeting.  He nodded in confirmation.    
  
He knew Ienzo was there, but had no idea what they could possibly be watching him for.  He was not even really doing anything.  Ienzo, of course, understood all of this from that single motion. The other two were left woefully in the dark.  Lumaria raised his graceful eyebrows in slight surprise as Ienzo stepped around the two to continue on.    
  
“I’ll be heading back to the labs. I think I may be able to do a bit more decoding if I just sit as far as possible from Even and Milo’s incessant ramblings.” He sighed, exasperated and inconsolable as he continued on.  Lumaria cast a confused look at his blond companion. She returned the look exactly.  There was no telling what those two scientific nerds were thinking, but either way, for now it seemed quite a bit less interesting than watching the Silent Hero at work before them, for now.   
  
  
*****  
  
The sound of a gargantuan tome echoed like a gong around the private study of the castle. Milo adjusted his glasses (which had slanted, yet again) as he cast Even another inquisitive, excited glance, thinking he may have found something of interest. Even sighed in response, as though satisfied by a filling meal. “Nothing of your history, but I must admit, this culture is quite amazing.  I only wish there were some more contemporary records.” He commented with an lazy wave of his hand, as though to ward off unnecessary questions.  
  
“It’s a shame that they lost their method of reading and writing when they did.” Milo commented with a note of regret lingering in his reedy voice as Even nodded in understand, flipping back and forth between a few pages of his own.    
  
“Ienzo really should be here aiding us.” Even continued in a grumble of an undertone, more to himself than his companion.  Milo perked at the sound of the other young man’s name, and tilted his head in curiosity, easing the book he was currently working through closed.  
  
“Was that the name of the young man who was with you and-?”  
  
“Yes.” Even snapped in annoyance.   
  
Milo’s eyebrows shot up as he decided to tread a bit more carefully.  This was obviously not a subject to take a crowbar to.  He gave Even what he hoped was an encouraging grin as the other scientist continued to glare down at his current tome, scribbling notes every once in a while.  
  
“Well, frankly, I’m just thankful that you happen to be here to help. Ienzo didn’t quite seem the type to enjoy our sort of studies anyway.  He’s most likely happier exploring the city.  It’s quite a beautiful place, you kno-” Milo glanced up from his work now only to find Even, blatantly staring at him, his book set aside, a look of pure and utter incredulousness on his sharp features.  He followed this with an eye roll so pronounced that Milo was surprised that Even topple over backwards.  
  
“Really?” Even sighed, exasperated. “Ienzo is one of the most prodigious minds to ever grace the field of written word, and just imagine if he actually applied himself to scientific advancement.  He’s brilliant beyond what he knows, and frankly, he’s insufferable about that so let’s pray that he really never figures out how mentally advanced he is.” Even explained with a remarkable pretentiousness. “I’ve raised him since he was a child, and I promise you, there will be a day when he far outstrips me academically.  That day has yet to come, but it’s only a matter of time.”   
  
Milo stared in wide eyed shock.  Scientists were a usually such a surly bunch, angry and protective over their own theories and conclusions as though they were their own children.  To hear one of such acclaim defend not his own mind, but the mind of his student, admitting that one day he would be far outranked was something new, something refreshing.  
  
Something strikingly paternal.  
  
“I was not able to realize his potential when I was overtaken by darkness.” Even explained in flat, logical terms that belayed none of the true horror which the existence of Vexen had brought to his every waking moments. “Now that I’m whole once again, the conclusion seems all to reliable.  The darkness, by nature, takes away pieces of you without being clear entirely how.  You change without even realizing it.  This is why we must unlock the secrets to the protection of Atlantis, Milo.  If we do not, your culture, your people and your life may be at risk.”  The silence which stretched between them was meaningful. There were no words to encompass the fear within Even’s bright green eyes.    
  
“And we’d be making a hell of a lot more progress if my dear student,“ One could almost hear Even’s teeth grinding as he continued. “would knock himself from his petulant idiocy and just decide to aid us.”  
  
With another amazingly large eye roll, Even picked up his book once again, and got back to his work.  Milo’s expression settled into an easy smile.  When one is an inter, a  simpleminded student, it’s easy to idolize the teacher into something beyond human, but as it seemed, they all had their weaknesses.  His thoughts drifted fondly back to Kida in the throne room (taking care of her queenly duties, no doubt). With a semi-contented sigh, he lifted himself up from his seat, stretching his lanky arms above him with a huge yawn.  
  
“I’ve got to go check on her lovely Majesty, my wife.” Milo bragged with a chuckle, knowing himself to be useless in the throne room, but at least he could offer a bit of support and comfort where it was needed.  Even didn’t look up from his book, muttering a knowing affirmation. Milo shrugged as he headed toward the door.  Even wasn’t being rude, he realized slowly, he simply seemed exhausted.  
  
The second the door shut with a soft thunk behind him, careful footsteps sounded from the shadowed corner of the study.  Even flipped a page in annoyance, finding nothing of note to keep track of as he continued along, giving the new presence no attention whatsoever.  
  
Ienzo neared his desk, the moment feeling just a touch unreal, as though he happened to be six years old once again and asking Even to check over the spelling on his latest ‘mock scientific report’.  
  
“Did you mean it?” He asked, his face carefully shielded from view.  There were certainly bright points to having such long, unruly bangs after all.  
  
Even didn’t look up.  He was furiously jotting down a note before he finally set his pen aside and gave Ienzo a knowing look, complete with delicately arched eyebrow. “The bit about you being a petulant brat, or the bit about you being a prodigy?”  Ienzo tried to answer but was cut solidly off by an accusatory wave of Even’s pen. “Because BOTH are true.” He chided in annoyance.  “You’re the most gifted mind to ever grace Radiant Garden, the Organization and most likely, every world which has followed.  Under my tutelage, you’ve only grown in potential.  And you know all of this, do not play that you don’t.  How dare you simply walk away when we needed your assistance.”  Ienzo could barely hear Even grumble something about Aeleus spoiling him rotten with ice cream over the buzzing sound of his own pleased thoughts.  “Now, sit down and get to work!  You’ve wasted enough time skipping through the water lilies!” Ienzo eased himself into a seat and settled into their usual comfortable silence, filled with academia, the smell of old parchment and the promise of knowledge.  
  
Only Even seemed to understand his love for this. Perhaps that should have been a dead giveaway sometime before, but it seems to hold true that we’re all blind about those we love.  
  
*****  
  
The work had continued and the day had passed blessedly uneventfully which was a sheer creature comfort. As aloof and unassuming as they attempted to appear, it was clear that the entirety of the group was on edge.  Their resting was light and their dreams were certainly not sweet.  As pleasant as the city had been, nothing could erase the fear of darkness which was constant threat.  
  
A threat which Even seemed to be taking quite personally. Never having been one for healthy sleeping habits, he had slipped directly from the gathering for dinner (unidentifiable fish with nearly unusable utensils, anyone?) to the outskirts of the city. It had not been very hard to sneak out.  Frankly, he had not even had to do any real sneaking, seeing an outsider made an individual unquestionable enough that it was a certain matter of unfounded self importance.  
  
The fresh water surrounding the mossy walls of Atlantis were calm and unassuming, shining a pristine yet deep royal blue in the crisp night air.  Even breathed deeply, this having been the first time he’d left the confines of his self appointed desk since that very morning.  He stretched his muscles with a fluid, lazy grace that he could never seem to muster up whenever around others.  Yes, he had indeed explored the idea of social anxiety, but certainly not deep enough it seemed.  
  
But fresh air was not the reason as to why Even had set his hurried steps towards the outskirts, and it certainly was not to take a swim either (unlike his counterpart Milo so very many years ago now).  
  
It was curiosity.  
  
Curiosity which created the spark to push forward when all else seemed unquestionable.  Curiosity which had led him to his wonderful, obsessive craft.  The very same curiosity that drove him towards his own personal brand of madness. The vehicle was here, just as Milo had described it firsthand.    
  
The iron of the fish’s body was was a deep, muted gray, clearly weathered.  It looked far more like a skeletal structure than Even had first thought it would have, but with bits and flecks of moss and grass hanging from it’s frame, it was far easier to visualize it as a dead fish than it was to see it as anything viable whatsoever.  He reached a tentative, slender hand out to touch the rough surface.  The sensation was oddly reminiscent of stone.  Perhaps it was rather because it was stone, Even realized in amazement. Stone which floated, who could have thought.   
Perhaps it was because he knew how to work them that made it such a taunt to want to see these particular fish in actions, swooping from the skies and surfing on the air waves with the greatest of agility.  No Atlantean could be convinced of parting with one of their glowing, living crystals, not even for a fraction of a moment.  Which was why when the scientist was taking careful mental note of it’s dimensions, it’s makeup, it’s structure (even it’s smell), he was so surprised to see those huge eyes glow faintly.  
  
Had he hallucinated it?  The fact that he was genuinely concerned that this was a legitimate answer was a testament to his mental stability within itself, but that eye before him was truly glowing, a harsher shade of red now, as he positively stumbled away now from the fish.  
  
He hadn’t had the crystal though! He hadn’t tampered with the fish, he swore it as he realized exactly how close he was dancing on the edge of his addiction, his downfall.  The fish, in turn positively hopped from the moss which had been nearly covering it not a moment before with the greatest, most fluid of ease.  The air was it’s home, and by it’s easy slice of it’s fins through space, the vehicle made that quite clear. Even rider-less, it was a beautiful sight.  
  
Or perhaps it would have been if it’s eyes were not glowing red and aimed directly at the Academic.  Even gulped audibly.  Milo had said blue eyes.  Pale blue eyes which cut through the darkness as though they were lighthouse beacons, taking a sailor home.  No, this fish was all but drawing the shadows unto itself as it hovered before him, a stone testament to all of his current fears in one (bad seafood and the darkness). He might have justified this as a glitch, as a hiccup in programming, but Even knew exactly what the red of those eyes was referring to.  
  
The darkness had not yet been swayed from them.  Not for an instant.  
  
He drew forth his shield from his own icy panic as his airborne opponent made to lunge.  Even screeched an attack which would never reached his enemy but stone slammed straight into his shield and he was thrown backwards from the sheer force, toppling over in a mass of blue silken fabric and sheer desperation.  He made to block once again his shield blocking his view, but the second attack never fell.  
  
With a mechanical sigh, the fish careened to the grown beneath it, Lumaria perched on it’s head with an ease which Even could not possibly imagine, particularly after seeing exactly where his scythe was lodged on the fish.  Imbedded deep within the eye of his attacker, Lumaria easily and rather wickedly gave his weapon an extra flourish, scattetomering broken glass from the eye on the ground as though relishing the thought of spilling the animal’s blood.  
  
Even looked at Lumaria, and then the fish, and then Lumaria once again.  It seemed to last an eternity for such a smart man to finally bring himself enough to his senses to shove himself from the ground before Lumaria stepped gracefully from the top of the monster’s head.  His scythe dissipated into thin air, and yet those crystalline blue eyes refused to blink, even when dyed navy by the darkened light.  Even clenched his hands to keep himself from being visibly shaken as he banished his own weapon.  
  
Do not look away, don’t you dare look away, Even’s pride demanded.  “I could have handled it, you know.” Even’s mind was running at a mile a minute, perhaps even faster than when he was being attacked, in rhythm with the thundering of his heart.  It was adrenaline.  Surely adrenaline.  
  
Lumaria ventured a small smile, but said nothing in return, letting their silence stretch for a painful moment longer before finally asking. “What was that?” He gestured to the broken fish, looking rather pathetic now that it was missing an eye and steaming slightly.  
  
“The darkness, of course.” Even intoned without enthusiasm, carefully hiding fear behind fact. “We haven’t outrun our enemy quite yet.  We’ll have to leave come morning.” He planned, watching as Lumaria took a few soundless steps forward, fighting the urge to step back the same exact amount.  
  
Fear of the enemy, indeed.  
  
“We’ll tell the rest of the traveling ensemble in the morning.” Even admitted with an eye roll, fighting to keep his voice calm, nonchalant.  The graceful man seemed somewhat unimpressed by the quirk of his rose colored brow.  The silence still stretched between them once again as they fought to understand the enormity of the situation.  With a soft hum of agreement, Lumaria turned to return to their quarters before a hand shot out to catch him by the arm.  
  
“Thank you.” Even finally broke in, his voice so much more high and uncertain than he would have liked for it to be after hearing it.  He groaned inwardly, letting the other man go, trying not to think on exactly how warm his skin had been.  
  
Lumaria smiled enigmatically. “Of course.” He replied in undertones.  
  



	5. Chapter 5

The woods were deep and dark.  It didn’t matter how the weather was.  It failed to show through the spindles of the trees, the branches spiraling up into a sky looked anything but natural.  Through all of the twisted trees, the barren shrubbery and the eerie hooting of owls, Arlene found herself more unnerved by the uneven ground than anything else. She stumbled along, clomping and thumping her feet on the path like an ill tempered child who had been refused a chocolate.  She picked a stray twig from her hair and decided that glaring daggers at the next misshapen tree was the best plan of action for getting even.  
  
Lumaria spotted her and smirked at the silent outburst, the huffing anger. She scowled right back at him, but it was more than clear from the glint in her eyes that she was kidding just as he was playing.  Their communication skills went quite a bit beyond the normal amount silent banter.  It extended all the way to snarky, bitchy silent play-fights.  
  
Lumaria had clearly stated with the quirk of a brow, ‘You have no idea what you’re doing.  You look like an idiot.’  
  
Arlene had promptly answered with her scowl, ‘Suck it, Pinkie.  Not everyone can walk around like they fart rainbows.’   
  
Lumaria was hardly making a sound as his feet skimmed the ground with a practiced ease which told nothing of exactly how he had gained those skills.  He moved smoothly, with an ease only begotten by countless years of practice, his muscles connected in a succession like a graceful panther stalking in the forest. She heard no noise coming from him.  
  
Surprisingly enough, there was only one other who managed the same feat, Arlene noted with a substantial amount of curiosity.  Aeleus’s steps were smooth, skilled, and absolutely silent.  His ease within the woods seemed more trained than the natural gait of Lumaria who slipped between fallen leaves and twigs.  Aeleus seemed to distribute his weight, stepping with the upmost care like a hunter in the shadows of the trees, awaiting the arrival of prey.  
  
They were both pretty fuckin’ sexy.  
  
But regardless, she didn’t have too much time to think on how awesome it would be to threesome with the both of them (Or maybe just watch them go at it.  That would be amazing.)  She was already tripping over the nearest root which caught on the fringes of her traveling cloak.  She pitched forward into Even, who squawked in response and plowed directly into Ienzo.  All three ended up in a pile that was two thirds screeching blonds and one third seething angry child-prodigy (who was way past his prime, if Arlene could be entirely honest).  The three of them had been making a nearly sinful amount of noise since they entered these godforsaken woods.  Even made more noise hiking through the underbrush than she had thought possible of a man quite so twiggy.  Really, he should be quite at home among all of these grotesquely clawing trees, seeing as though they seemed to have his exact build most of the time.  Ienzo walked just a bit too purposefully to even begin to try to hide the sound of his footsteps.  Arlene simply could not be bothered with this absolute nonsense.    
  
It was terrible, being forced to traipse around in the dark forest, clearly haunted from the sound of all the wind through the hidden crevices of the trees and the glares which they were sending down in the group’s direction.  If all the overused, scary stories were correct, Ienzo was going to get killed first for setting a demon loose, Even would be next for being the ‘non-believer’.  As long as Arlene kept her legs shut (for now), Aeleus would get it next for trying to protect them, Lumaria would be next for being the pretty boy and Arlene would be left to run screaming from the woods, covered in blood only to be taken by the demon later.  
  
Dames always got killed last in ghost stories, right? Either way, this didn’t seem to be the traditional ghost story anyway and Even was less than amused.  
  
“Oh, for darkness sake!” He cried.  “Have you absolutely no sense at all!” He scolded as though sense had anything to do with tripping or accidents. “And look at you!  You’ve scraped your elbows. Woman, be more careful!  You’ll impede our entire party at this rate.” He grabbed at her elbows with a resilience and tenacity which he took to all his tasks.  She glanced up with a touch of panic and managed to catch Aeleus giving her a reassuring nod as he lifted Ienzo from the forest floor with the greatest of ease, and a notable amount of care.  Lumaria lingered at her side, watching Even intently as he man pulled a small, chrome box from his belt, not even large enough to be considered a cigarette case.  He pressed a smoothly hidden button on the side and they both watched as the small kit expanded in size as to look like a tiny, plump lunch box.  It flipped open, revealing it’s contents to be stuffed full to the brim with neat looking, labeled potions bottles. He removed a small, clear one with a crystalline stopper and opened it with a practiced ease. Letting loose an exasperated huff, he continued nagging away as he spread the salve on her bleeding joints.   
  
Although Even was a whiney, insufferable know-it-all at times, there were definitely other moments when he unwittingly amazed her.  She hated to admit it, but he was dead useful.  The ship, for instance, could be hidden behind mirrors which provided not only shielding but invisibility. It traveled between dimensions and space with the greatest of ease.  It blasted space debris and enemies as though it was a joke.  Not to mention it had a hot tub in the back and served hot cocoa if you asked politely (the interface could act a bit dour if you weren’t respectful enough. Go figure.) Arlene even had a creeping suspicion that the ship could even fold into one of those neat boxes just like the first aid kit, not that Even would ever explain his methods entirely. Ever.  
  
Either way, in times like these when the wonders of modern medicine were given to her with such ease and grace, she could help but be just a touch grateful.  Perhaps that would explain the grumble of, “Thanks.” right after the task was complete.  She felt at the skin of her elbows. Good as new. Could she ever doubt that mad scientist for being effective? She knew that it benefitted him to have her well and ready for battle if the time should come, meaning that in healing her, he was really serving himself, but that didn’t change the outcome. He gave a prideful huff before withdrawing and standing.  Lumaria plucked Arlene up by the arm, helping her to her feet.   
  
“This is getting ridiculous.” Ienzo mumbled, casting his scrutiny at the trees with a distasteful frown.  “I’ve seen all of this before, but this is so predictable and overdone it could have come straight from a bad fairy tale.  I bet you anything that Grimm had a hand in this.” He groaned, brushing off his own traveling cloak. “If I’m not mistaken, these woods are probably supposed to symbolize our own trials and misfortune due to our misbegotten choices and pre-marital sexual experiences.” Was that snark that she detected in his voice?   
  
Masterful use of sassiness.  She’d have to keep that in mind for later.  
  
Ienzo raised his hands into the air, calling his Lexicon to his aid.  The pages flipped along at a rapid rate. “This is a shoddy show of stupidity.  It reeks of the evil Queen’s magic.” He said with a derisive sniff and a wicked grin. “I’ll make short work of you.” He flipped a page, and with deep concentration, his small form seemed to lift itself from the ground beneath him. The twisted trees seemed to cower in fear, leaning away from the sizable, glowing book, the inward power which radiated from it’s user.     
  
All facts taken into consideration, the sight was fairly amazing, Arlene reflected with the quirk of a brow as she crossed her newly healed arms.  The entirety of the cursed woods was all but bowing in the wake of this small, floating form, begging and pleading not to be banished, squirming under his scrutiny. But there was no such luck for them.    
  
The darkness vanished all at once.  It was as though they had all taken a breath of fresh air after being caught underwater. The misshapen, twisted trees disappeared to reveal healthy, verdant, tall oaks and maples, their leaves littering the forest floor with a soft green carpet.  Sunlight streamed downward on the healthy landscape.  The slight chirps, the soft coos of the animals around them returned with a cautious note, as though distrustful of sudden salvation as they were of their previous enchantments.  
  
In the end, it had all been an illusion.  
  
The entire party stared around them, wide eyed with wonder which they may or may not have been willing to admit to.  The only one who seemed entirely unaffected (aside from Ienzo, of course) was Aeleus.  Arlene noticed this with just a touch of surprise. Surely he was not skilled in illusions as well.  He was so grounded to reality, his element was rock for God’s sake. Was it possible that he saw through the illusion of the forest as easily as Ienzo had?  
  
“The darkness here seems to be entirely invented.” Ienzo sighed, returning to the newly revealed green grass of the floor and shooting a bored expression at the entire party, an unimpressed wave of his hand, a bragging note to his tone.  “We should find a new world to approach.  This one has revealed to be,” He sneered at his bright and cheery surroundings, casting particular distaste at a nearby singing bluebird, speedily joined by it’s family for a chorus of delighted twitters, “useless.”   
  
“Quite, quite.” Vexen muttered, clearly fighting the urge to take out his notebook and start jotting down observations as he looked around in amazement with wide, poison green eyes, hungry for new knowledge, fighting the urge to forcefully extract it. He pulled a key ring from his belt, revealing a small, metal key fob, shined to perfection.  It was the size of a walnut though far more flat and sleek in the scientist’s usual minimalist stylings.  He pressed the small blue button on it’s surface twice.   
  
“Beam us up, Scotty.” He continued, clearly distracted.  
  
“Who the hell is Scotty?” Arlene huffed under her breath, not even expecting an answer, but also certainly not expecting the blue light which enclosed them next. Aeleus gasped and shivered, clearly knowing what this meant. Lumaria snapped into a fighting stance, clearly not. Ienzo shrugged. Even clicked the button once more and the party was gone without a trace.


	6. Chapter 6 (Sweet Interlude)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> France has a serious draw which the party needs to stop and seriously consider, even at the risk of possibly becoming 'unsanitary', as Even might term it.

“So,” Arlene began, for the umpteenth time. “Why are we stopped again?”  
  
“Because, we’ve reached France.” Came the succinct response from Aeleus.  Ienzo gave a nod of agreement, his glance never shifting from behind a volume of gothic short stories, but to Lumaria, there was a pleased glint to his eye which had not been there a short while ago.  
  
It was all rather strange, the assassin had to admit.  Yes, he had heard of France, which was a neighboring country to his own home world, but no, he had most certainly never had the pleasure of being there.  As far as he knew, his only means and need for travel surrounded the need to have performers of the rather underhanded variety.  The France he had heard of was also verdant yet rather rural, from his gatherings.  What he saw beneath the ship was anything but.  The city was bustling with energy as the bell tower chimed high noon, the tones singing chords which he had never thought possible, as though they had floated from dreams. Action of every variety was in full swing, from the selling of baked goods, to livestock, to carpenters in the midst of creating, to hagglers in the midst of haggling. There was not a still individual in sight.    
  
Directly below them, a skinny jester was playing out a puppet show for a group of rather ragged looking children.  Charming if not a touch idiotic, he supposed.  The Romani gent would never get money from those little peasants, after all.  
  
Even had, essentially, made their little ship into an invisible balloon, kept tethered by a corded metal string running from the ship’s sheer bottom to the top of the cathedral.  The spires of the cathedral were huge, towering and breathtakingly elegant.  There was certainly an imposing quality to them with their seemingly serrated edges spiraling up into the sky, so dangerously close to the ship’s exterior (no matter how invisible it happened to be at that moment).  Frightfully beautiful, he reflected after a moment, but that was how religion worked after all.  
  
It brought The Devil card to mind.  
  
“What does that have to do with us stopping?” Lumaria continued, pressing onward.  They could not seem to get an entirely cohesive response from the duo.  Aeleus seemed somehow exasperated beyond his usual stoic mood.  Speaking about it seemed to elicit a small shake of his head, as though it wasn’t worth the effort of explaining.  Really.  Ienzo seemed amused, pleased, and Lumaria simply could not ignore the mischievous glint to his slate blue eyes.  Somehow, it added to the subtle, smooth beauty of his face.  
  
Arlene huffed loudly to the edge of obnoxious.  Who was Lumaria kidding, that eyeroll which followed was entirely full of snark.  
  
“Alright, wonder-duo.  You might know our resident mad scientist like the back of your hands, but we certainly don’t.  What the hell is going on?” She barreled onward, feet set staunchly apart, hands on hips, glaring down at them as though they had the audacity to speak in a different language in front of her and then pretend like she was far too stupid to understand.    
  
Of course, this was not truly the case by any stretch of the imagination.  One look at Aeleus made that quite clear.  “No, really. It’s just fine.  He just...” The large man trailed.  Ienzo’s wicked grin widened.  
  
“Do you think he needs help carrying it?” He replied in sing-song.  Arlene’s eyes shot open. Lumaria pictured that he must look much the same, for he truly had not been expecting that sort of comment.  What could the so called ‘prodigy’ possibly be talking about?  
  
Vexen had always been one in the past to perform experiments of every sort of variety.  Lumaria knew this for a fact.  He remembered it, or perhaps more correctly put, he could not forget it.  Marluxia had seen far too much in that aspect, having ventured too far into Vexen’s labs without his permission, he had stumbled upon a great deal of what he never would have wanted to know about the inside make up of how a ‘replica’ worked and what precisely made them tick.  And bleed.  
  
Could they possibly be speaking of Even dragging back a-  
  
“Even’s getting a CADAVER?” Arlene shrieked, her arms hugged around herself as though protecting her body from potential dead-cooties. Lumaria kept himself from snorting in laughter at the display.  
  
“No, no, no.” Aeleus responded immediately, waving the notion away as though he found it just as abhorrent.  “Nothing like that.”   
  
“You have no idea.” Ienzo continued indulgently, raising his eyebrows at Aeleus. “He might go a bit overboard.  You know he always does.”   
  
“That’s his problem.” Aeleus responded with a troubled frown.  
  
Arlene threw her hands in the air, wordlessly whining about whatever was happening before her very eyes. Lumaria couldn’t help but agree, to a certain extent, but to be honest, it piqued his curiosity.  Even was capable of a great deal, he was realizing.  There was a plethora of aspects of this one dimensional ‘mad scientist’ which was quickly making him into something far more two dimensional, and dare he say it, three dimensional.  Aeleus seemed to look upon his antics with something akin to concern.  It was more telling than anything the guardian would ever dare ‘tell’.  There was certainly a past there, and a strong one and who would ever doubt it?  The men had, supposedly, grown up together to a certain extent.  It would not be unimaginable that their knowledge of one another was quite a bit more comprehensive then they had ever really let on (yet never denied).  
  
And of course, there was Ienzo, their perpetual boy genius who had unwittingly grown into a man while his heart was absent.  It was a study in personality development.  There were times when Zexion was present in Ienzo’s voice, in the sharp glint in his eye, the sarcastic coldness of his tone.  
  
Usually these moods were directed at Aeleus and Even.  A child rebelling against his parents?  How very cute.  
  
Finally, there was the scientist himself, the absent man in question. Vexen had been a ruthless academic to the core.  Nothing seemed to matter to him beyond the results which they would yield and the information which he could garner further from it.  While those memories certainly lingered about him, there was something tamer about Even which he could not quite place.  A softening of the harshness of his wicked smile into something that might be slightly apologetic, a tone of voice that was less than shrill, demanding.  The ‘mad’ scientist was just a touch less ‘mad’, in retrospect.  
  
Hearts had changed them all, he reflected, looking around at the lot of misfits and realizing, in turn and unwillingly, that he was certainly one of them.  
  
The door to the ship thunked open unceremoniously and a high pitched groan emitted from it.  It could either be a puppy which someone had kicked into yelping, or it also could be Even whining.  Ienzo shot to his feet, sliding his book on to his seat and rushing to the door.  Aeleus shook his head yet again, placing his hand at his temples as though to ward away a headache. In any other circumstance, he would have gotten up to help, Lumaria could sense it, but this was ‘Even’s problem’ apparently.    
  
The duo emerged into the galley carrying what looked like a huge, cylindric metal object between them by the rounded handle.  Even had half heartedly draped a monk’s robe around himself, most likely in an effort to ‘fit in’.  By the clinically clean look of his face, the pristine shine of his blond hair and the brilliant sheen of the metal object he had been dragging around, Lumaria could only assume he had failed miserably.  Of course, you would never be able to tell Even that fact.  
  
“How much did you get?” Ienzo asked, his eyes widening in anticipation as, with a huge grunt of effort, they both set it on the table before them and then rubbing his hands together.  
  
“I filled it, of course.  We shall not be here long.  I had to make the best of it.  It would be unwise not to.” Even huffed, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his sleeve and looking with a note of pride at his spoils.  “I’ll tell you what, it was hard enough to find, but it is, by far, the best.”  
  
“I know, I know.  You’re quite brilliant.  Whatever.” Ienzo waved the notion off as though he were placating a child with pretty sentiments paired with pretty words.  
  
Arlene and Lumaria had now, both gathered just a touch closer, their eyes peering down at the container.  What could it possibly be?  Chemicals?  Live test subjects?  Severed limbs? Knowing Even, it could only be-, but before he could even finish this thought Even cackled.  With a look of utter triumph, the scientist removed the lid of the container with an unnecessary flourish.  
  
Revealing chocolate mousse.  
  
“Get the spoons!” He ordered, his grin widening as Ienzo dove for the kitchen, calling back something about ‘calling the big one’.  “No, that one’s mine!” Even sprinted after him, fake monk robes billowing in his wake.  
  
Lumaria looked from Arlene, who was now smiling and dumbfounded, unsure whether to laugh or cry at their stupidity, to Aeleus with what must have been an obvious look of confusion.  The large man shrugged and looked just a touch worried about the spoon wielding academics, casting his glance at the commotion in the kitchen before folding his arms with a sigh. “If only I could get them to eat protein with the same sort of enthusiasm.” He rumbled softly with a note of wistfulness.  
  
Ienzo and Even rushed back, both having, thankfully, found big spoons and bowls or a duel to the death might have resulted.  They didn’t wait to offer anyone else a serving before taking a generous portion for themselves and digging in with obvious relish.    
  
Sweets, hm? How very human.  
  
Unbidden, Lumaria took a step forward, plunging a finger into the container to skim the top of the fluffy chocolate.  He brought the dessert to his lips, pausing to cast Even an expectant look, a subtle grin before he allowed himself the pleasure of a taste.  
  
And, to his credit, Even watched him with rapt attention, a smear of the same chocolate left on his cheek from his own antics, his bright eyes absent of cohesive thought until he finally spoke slowly, choosing his words wisely.   
  
“You know,” He started, staring at the other man’s fingertip, his voice tinged with annoyance. “That’s entirely unsanitary.”


	7. Chapter 7

London is a rainy city. It seemed almost too cliche to admit to that, Aeleus thought in retrospect, walking down the cobblestone streets and trying not to get in the way of any of the glum individuals dashing along the way. The precipitation had stopped for the time being but it certainly did not stop the angry citizens of the gray town from looking as though it had personally affronted them.

Why was it that nature always seemed to be at odds with technology? It was the puzzle that he could never seem to solve, but then again, he really was not pushing himself all too hard to try. It gave him a headache, being so near to the busy streets of civilization. The cityscape made him feel overwhelmingly unwieldy, despite the fact that rather than choose to wear the confining edwardian style clothing, he had chosen to disguise himself in a commoner’s style slacks and loose fitting shirt. Of course, it didn’t stop him from looking to be the most imposing of the group, but it did prevent him from ripping any of the ‘finer‘ suits that Even had managed to have his have his computer systems replicate.

How Even managed to replicate clothing from certain eras was quite beyond him, but he was also beyond asking questions of that nature as well.

Perhaps it might have been a bit more of a comforting, exciting atmosphere for Arlene. She had, of course, refused to don a corset (“They’re so fucking painful”), but she had agreed quite easily to a rather splendidly colored purple dress which suited her vivacious personality. She looked beautiful, Aeleus observed, admonishing himself afterwards for admiring her once again.

Lumaria, of course, looked resplendent in a flamboyantly colored suit of his own choice. One never would have imagined that a pink suit could actually match pink hair, but with that sort of confidence, Lumaria could make anything look good. His ease set him apart from the crowd, which, of course would have been the exact opposite of their intent. He fluffed his cravat, looking pleased as a peacock and he might have earned some admiration from Even if the scientist in question had not already turned the entirety of his attentions to the hustle and bustle of the dour streets. He muttered every now and then of the current time London was in, or the technologies which they were encountering or perhaps even just admiring the surrounding activities. He was quite pleased as long as nothing or no one touched him. Aeleus couldn’t count the number of times he had noted him whispering, “Unsanitary.” to himself.

Ienzo looked bored. To be honest, he put a great deal of effort into trying to seem as though he were bored the majority of the time. It helped greatly in keeping idiots at arm’s length and in giving him space to make his own observations. Aeleus, of course, knew better. The prodigy was rather pleased with his new getup. There was certainly a new spring to his booted step and the dark tailcoated garment fit him like a glove. To what Aeleus was sure would be his dismay, he looked strikingly like his former mentor, Even, who was dressed much in the same style but in a deep royal blue tone. Damned if they would ever admit to it but they seemed every bit as related as all the outsiders assumed that they were, even aside from the mannerisms that they shared when speaking or during the excitement of observing a new city and new environment.

Aeleus knew that this was no new environment for Even though. On the contrary, that man’s apprenticeship had mostly consisted of travel and medical study before it became too dangerous and he was needed to lead the castle. That was, after all, how he had met Even all those years ago, on that fateful night he always tried so very hard to forget. Those old memories seemed to be coming to light much more often these days. It was unnerving, perhaps even caused by the stress of their current situation.

“I can’t seem to sense any disturbances.” Lumaria admitted smoothly, breeching the subject which was on everyone’s mind since arriving. Perhaps it was that the darkness was so hard to discern among all of the rather grim stares of the citizens around them, but despite their implications there seemed to be a purposeful gait which they kept. All were people without time for much else but their jobs, Aeleus assumed. Though jobs did not necessarily mesh with joy, it certainly did not incontrovertibly lead to hell in a hell in a hand basket. These people were driven if not slightly depressed, but by no means depraved. Aeleus nodded in agreement.

“It cannot hurt to take a look.” Even answered, gesturing vaguely to their surroundings and the town square to which their feet were currently leading. The scientist’s eyes narrowed as though the city itself was plotting against them. He knew what Even was thinking. The fear was written quite plainly across his features. It was the same fear which remained among their entire party. Dilan had been taken, dragged back to his own personal rendition of hell not a handful of days prior. The memory was not simply haunting him. It was driving him forward. It stole away precious time for sleep. It hinted at what was possible for every last one of them and what it would ensure would finally happen once it did find them.

They had to find this darkness, lead it away. Giving the Keyblade wielders time to train was imperative, but protecting themselves was also an aspect of their current quest which they could not afford to have fail. Joining Xehanort, least it be willingly or unwillingly would only serve to strengthen his forces greatly. It was beginning to set in, slowly but surely, that they were responsible for protecting one another. But, could Aeleus trust the former ‘neophytes’, Arlene and Lumaria? Could he put his faith in Even as he once did so long ago? Was Ienzo even mentally sound?

Was he entirely in control of his own power?

It was a different sort of fear, a different anger and strife which lingered in his consciousness. Darkness was not something that could be forgotten. It was not simply a tragically hard time to be remembered as something to have ‘survived’ or to be told in stories later as having ‘grown from’. This inner demon stuck with Aeleus like a stigma, a shadow, a reminder of how very merciless life could be and he in return.

“Then let’s take a look around. We’ll meet back here in an hour or so.” Arlene piped in, snapping him from his reverie with her cheerful tone. She was eager to get a look at the city. It wasn’t exactly the most appealing of atmospheres, but Aeleus assumed she probably thought anywhere else was better than being trapped with this motley crew.

With nods of agreement of varied enthusiasm, they wandered to the city square, separating off to where their attention was drawn first. Ienzo bolted it over to a nearby library, apparently having noticed it from the beginning but never even hinted at it. Aeleus smiled knowingly. They wouldn’t be getting many useful observations from him. He knew that enthralled prodigy couldn’t be bothered if there were books to explore. Aeleus turned and made his way to the square to give the former schemer a bit of privacy with his beloved literature. They would have to depend on Even’s copious mental notes after all.

He stepped into the town square himself, marveling at the sheer size of the church which towered before him. It’s majestic gothic spires spiraled into the sky, reaching to their God with a heaviness which only a sermon of worship could seem to enthrall. It was gray stone stabbing into a roiling gray sky which dropped slate colored rain on to the muddy streets below. It was no wonder that the people here were so overly depressed.

Even the birds seemed a bit sluggish. Pigeons milled around in front of the church, pecking half-hearted at the soggy ground and looking up hopefully at the passers-by in expectation. The people, of course, didn’t seem to notice.

“None of ‘em ‘ll get fed t’day, I’m ‘fraid.” Admitted a voice from behind him. Aeleus turned to regard the figure, eyes narrowing at the surprising nature of his approach, though quickly keeping his suspicion in check, putting on his usual unreadable facade. He was greeted with the sight of a casual looking man, covered head to foot in a what seemed like black charcoal, plucking at a ragged looking small guitar. Given their surroundings, this was no artist though, no man with the time to devote to leisure. It was soot that coated him, if he could tell anything from the strong, charcoal smell of it.

Yet perhaps he had spoken too soon about the artist comment though. There was a blur of color on the ground next to the pair. How had Aeleus not noticed it before? Had he really been that distracted by his own thoughts, or had this simply appeared in much the same way the mysterious man did? Out of the blue (or gray in this case)? The colors were a mesh of street art, chalk perhaps, which had smeared and sloshed now, entirely ruined to a puddle of happiness among all of the surrounding ones which refused to even acknowledge it.

“Y’ see, usually the old woman is out this time ‘a day.” His voice bounced as he spoke, like a jolly stroll. His accent sounded strikingly different than all the rest of the other accents he had heard today. Rather strange, he had to admit. “She sells the bird feed for a tuppance and sings her song for everyone to hear. They’d buy it, a’course, as long as she was singin’ away.” He sighed, reaching out to test the air of rain, finding it quite a bit drier than earlier today, apparently, and quite pleased for it. 

“Where did she go?” Aeleus prompted, wanting to hear the explanation to this unhappy story. He never had even met this woman but quite frankly, anyone who was giving enough to care for a few hungry, helpless creatures was someone who he felt strikingly akin to, protective of.

The scruffy man shook his head solemnly, casting his glance to the ground. Just as he had suspected. He watched in a remarkably deadened silence as even the rain refused to fall before them, almost in respect for old woman.

After a long moment, Aeleus spoke up again. “What about the birds?” There was something in his voice, a note or a lingering tone that suggested he knew exactly what the answer was for the second time.

“It’s like I says before, sir.” The man sighed. “They’re goin hungry t’day.” And every day after apparently. Aeleus watched them peck forlornly at the ground. As if on cue, the man began to hum a small sad tune, calming like a lullaby. It was warm, welcoming in a sense, harkening himself back to past days and fonder times. Far more beautiful mornings where the sun was shining, the flowers were blooming in response. Where Ienzo used to run and laugh, chasing the birds.

Birds.

The soot covered man now had a small, secret smile on his face. The guitar that was in his hand was now being offered to Aeleus. Aeleus, on the other hand, had all but forgotten about the instrument. He grasped the instrument, more out of politeness than anything else. He turned to look around, because perhaps he had meant someone else...? No one would assume that he could help in a situation like this. He strictly kept to himself. Children would only be afraid of his size, his strength. How could he possibly help to feed the birds?

He turned back to face the other gentleman, but found himself remarkably alone. Startled, he found himself looking around rather uselessly again for a signal, a sign that perhaps he had slipped back into an alleyway, dashed to the nearest tavern. Damn, he could have even flown himself into the sky, but both the painting and the man were no where to be found. All that was left was his guitar. Well, that and...

Bird seed.

Aeleus stared at the seed. He was sure if the bag of seed had eyes, it would be staring expectantly back. It was just a touch too perfectly planned, Aeleus reflected, his brow creased in thought. He just happened to meet with the one man who just happens to be carrying a guitar and knows that the birds need to be fed, and happens to let slip that people only need to pay a paltry fee for the seed and who hums the tune rather helpfully before disappearing completely. Aeleus assumed that the money could easily be used by any of the needy young children on the streets. 

Tuppance, indeed. This seemed just a bit too perfect.

Regardless, those birds were still pecking uselessly at the ground. The poor little cottonballs of fluff did not even stand a chance and they seemed to be caught in the middle of something just a touch greater than their tiny lives. Their size aside, their lives still mattered. Pity softened the sheer illogicality of the situation as his grip on the small guitar tightened with purpose. He gulped dryly. No one else was stepping up. He hated to admit it, but he had to do the one thing which he absolutely loathed beyond a shadow of a doubt. It had nothing to do with the guitar in his hand, or the prospect of ignoring logic. No, it was attracting unnecessary attention to himself. 

He could almost see the judgement in the people’s eyes, the fear at his sheer size, his strength. The worst part was, he had no reason to tell them differently. Lexaeus had been on the verge of being a monster. That darkness was within him, after all.

But the birds were now looking up to him, and perhaps he was hallucinating it, but there was a touch of hope to their beady little eyes. Damn. It was now or never.

*****

Lumaria was not impressed. This city seemed to have been whitewashed, or perhaps he should say gray-washed. It was disgustingly boring. The entirety of the mood had been bulldozed with something akin to depressant, and no one seemed to have the ability to shake themselves out of it. Certainly, there was a purposefulness to their hurrying to and fro, but other than that, there was simply nothing.

Arlene groaned something to his side and he knew exactly how she felt. To be ‘dressed for a party but nowhere to dance’ was entirely sad, just foolish. He quirked an eyebrow at her as she shrugged back up at him, the ruffles of her dress bouncing along behind her.

That was when he heard it. It was near to the point that they had started their adventuring of this cityscape, there was a sound floating along. Music, perhaps. Lumaria listened closely, leaning in to get a better vantage before taking Arlene by the arm and leading her back. She stumbled on the ribbons of her heeled boots before finally righting herself and following along. “What the hell-?” She began but was cut off soundly by a wave of his hand.

Her bright eyes widened as soon she too realized what they were hearing. The slow, bittersweet tune was rather breathtaking. There was simply a tone to it that brought back memories long before Radiant Garden, comforting times which were long past, fondly brought to the present. Lumaria stepped into the square, seeing the first bit of color and it’s contrast to the rest of their landscape made it almost obnoxiously bright.

The clouds had parted around the steps of the church. Aeleus stood, a small, weather-worn looking guitar which had seen far better days was in his hands (almost comical considering the size of the man himself). Sunlight, yes actual sunlight, filtered through the clouds and brightening the square, revealing the glittering coins strewn about the guardian as he played his guitar.

Yes, Aeleus was playing the guitar. Beautifully.

Lumaria suspected he might have to pick Arlene’s jaw up from the ground. She seemed about as shocked as he felt, though damned if he would ever admit to it. Their current company seemed full of surprises. Aside from the coins which Aeleus seemed to be collecting, the birds about were happily pecking at what looked like seed. The small crowd of people who had gathered to watch the spectacle of the strong man playing such a loving song also seemed to be making themselves busy throwing something...

Bird seed? ...This just kept getting stranger. Of course though, Aeleus would find a way to help the helpless, even in this dank, cold, morbid city.

“He’s brilliant, you know.” Even greeted, looking at the same spectacle with a fondness in his bright green eyes which Lumaria had never quite seen before. He felt suddenly jealous, wanting to know exactly what the other man was talking about, or how he could possibly be so sure.

“What do you mean?” Arlene asked, saving Lumaria the effort.

“He plays guitar, piano, cello, violin...” Even ticked off the instruments on his fingers, his brow furrowing at the effort of remembering all of them. “And, I think the theremin as well, but I may have to check with him.” 

“What the hell is a ther-?”

“How did you know all of that?” Lumaria cut Arlene off, not really caring what a ther-whatever was as long he could know more of this hidden history which they seemed to be so solidly kept out of.

“It would be strange if I did not.” Even answered rather unguardedly. “I’ve known Aeleus since I was twelve.” He finished with a shrug, looking at the scene before him rather fondly. “And yes, he is, quite literally, a genius.” He added, as though this were already quite apparent.

Lumaria was dumbfounded. He fixed Even with a hard look as Arlene made her way down to greet Aeleus. She shoved through the gathered crowd as only her confidence seemed to allow her to do. 

“Hey Aeleus!” She cried with a wicked grin, capturing his attention immediately. He paused in his playing, allowing the happy chirping of birds and the carefree chatter of the crowd now take precedence over his own music.

“Now that you’re famous and all, if I show you my boobs, will you autograph them?” She chimed in sweetly, causing several well dressed men and women to gasp in horror, and more than a few to faint. 

Aeleus blushed.

She flitted forward, letting the crowd go back to their talking, continuing with their milling about, donating every once in a while and then throwing the birds their proper food, as was only expected in a rather joyous sort of way. The sky was clearing and the sun was shining. The day would be far more cheerful than they had first assumed. 

“What are you going to do with the money?” She asked him after a moment.

He shrugged. “I was thinking we should give most of it away.” He said with a note of respect. Arlene had enough sense to roll her eyes, but enough consideration not to snark at him for it. “We really don’t need it.” He justified rather unnecessarily. The money was his after all.

“Whatever.” It was Arlene’s turn to shrug. “We should probably high tail it out of here soon anyway.” She continued. “You’ve done your good deed for today anyway. We probably shouldn’t be holding concerts here.”

Aeleus nodded with a sigh. “But we need to find Ienzo first.” He voiced the concern he was carrying since the beginning of their separation. 

“Oh yeah, I almost forgot about the brat.”

Aeleus frowned.

“Sorry.”

With a small nod, he let the jibe pass. Setting his guitar down to clean up the many coins, he happened to look over at the church doors. The scruffy looking man was smiling widely back down at him. Aeleus’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but he couldn’t help but smile back in return, giving him a small wave of greeting. The man waved back, and with a knowing chuckle and a prance of a step, he slipped around the side of the church and out of sight.

*****

The library felt a little bit like an attic. It was not an unpleasant sensation, actually on the contrary it made him feel right at home. The study back in Radiant Garden had precisely the same comforts. The soft gray light of the outside world filtered through the windows, casting a slight glimmer on the airborne dust as it passed by the ivory curtains. Yes, the rain had greatly dampened the occasion, but within this cozy setting it had simply turned the air into sparkling silver. The chairs were cushy, the books were leather bound, worn with love and Ienzo’s fingers were absolutely itching to pluck them down from their heavy oaken shelves. It had been too long, far too long since he had a moment to himself to be lost within a story.

Not to be mistaken, Ienzo loved his studies. It would take some time away from his youth for him to realize that fact, but he took great comfort in his addiction to knowledge (and how it did not rage on quite as much as Even’s). He loved the sensation of learning, of feeling that quick and ready mind of his growing and thriving. Yes, Ienzo knew he was a prodigy, he knew he was brilliant but this was ‘old hat’, as it were. Perhaps he could surpass Even in the sciences if he put his mind to it, if he drove himself mad with obsessive thoughts and sleepless nights, but Ienzo could not bring himself to do so. His mind hungered for creation and challenge on a different level, on a whole new scope.

Literature.

He was certainly still a scientist, but he could never reach his full potential in that field, much to Even’s dismay. He was truly enchanted by the volumes upon volumes of stories told by people. People, whose minds were so very intriguing to pick apart, to study, to manipulate and yet also on some level admire. It was fascinating, or better yet, enthralling.

Literature had always been a grand escape from reality. Books and stories never judged, they never nagged or demanded that the reports get done earlier or that he be more responsible in the care-taking of the castle. They never reminded him that he always had a long way to go in learning his craft. They did not know his past, or the darkest places of his mind. They only served to be a comfort, a source of knowledge, a bastion of sanity when he was so near toppling over the edge. 

Ienzo felt fleetingly as though he had suddenly forgotten something.

Shrugging off the sensation, he reached up to take a book off the shelf and spotted an old woman in an exceedingly plain and worn black walking dress staring back at him intently. He withdrew, startled. The old woman held herself with a dignified respect, her back ramrod straight and her hands folded neatly before her, resting on top of a knobby walking cane. She was strikingly ugly, in a way that almost made her seem boastful of it. He felt rather vain that the thought had even unconsciously crossed his mind, but on second thought, he really did not care all that much either way. Ugly is ugly, beautiful is beautiful. Power and control are what really mattered, truth be told. Her bulbous nose was topped with a few, scattered warts. Her eyebrow extended, uninterrupted in a thick, grayish line across her forehead. Yet, her eyes twinkled beneath it all, something secret hidden in that apparently impressive mind.

Ienzo felt a twinge of intimidation and...was that fear?

“Young man,” She commented softly, in measured tones as she stepped carefully forward to withdraw a smaller book from a lower shelf. “Is there something that you are searching for?”

“Nothing in particular.” He replied carefully, staring back at her all the while.

“Hm, strange.” She sighed, flipping through her book before slipping it beneath her arm to keep it stashed away and not forgotten. Turning back to him, he found himself caught in that stare once again, those piercing blue eyes seeing so otherworldly, so jarringly powerful. It dawned on him quite suddenly that this old woman was not as she seemed in the slightest. The former schemer knew a good illusion when he saw one and at this moment, he was staring one straight in the eyes.

Years melted from the woman’s face as he concentrated, mentally peeling away the masks but keeping her spell intact as a courtesy (she had hidden for a reason, after all). She was timelessly beautiful, strikingly modest and altogether quite enigmatic.

She winked at him. He jumped in response and blushed quickly afterwards.

“Are you certain?” She continued, looking at him expectantly. Ienzo stayed in dumbfounded silence. A magic user? And one so very skilled in illusions? In this dull, gray place? 

“Well, young man,” She began again, tightening her grip on her walking stick and setting it against the floor. “I typically find that what I am searching for has typically been right before my eyes all along.” She gave him a knowing nod and then withdrew from him with the same measured grace she had entered the conversation with.

Ienzo stood for a frozen moment, listening to the heavy clumping of her cane as she walked away, her silhouette disappearing from the doorway upon her exit. He stood for a moment, letting that encounter sink in before choosing the most apt word he could think of to define it. “...Odd.” He muttered.

“Yes. Very much so.” Added Lumaria, peering at him from between the shelves in the very next row. Ienzo all but jumped out of his skin, screaming in a way he would never admit to in polite company later. That, of course, earned him an indulgent smile from Lumaria as he turned the corner to join the shaken prodigy. It was the second time within an hour that Ienzo was standing in stunned silence. Unremarkably, for this case, there was rage boiling beneath the surface.

“How long have you been there?” Ienzo growled. He had no idea how Lumaria managed to do it, but he managed to shrug ‘gracefully’ in response.

“Long enough. So, she wasn’t really an old woman, was she?” He pressed on, clearly wanting to know more about Ienzo’s abilities.

“Of course not, you disrespectful dolt.” Ienzo spat back at him, not liking the sensation of having been blindsided.

“Watch out or you will end up sounding just like Even.” 

“I do not-!” Ienzo swallowed the rest of his statement, hearing how petulant it sounded even in his own mind. He snapped his mouth shut and once again, he settled into a glare. Lumaria looked like a cat who had just caught a rather frenetic mouse. He smiled, hiding his intentions beautifully.

“Everyone is in the Library looking for you.” He gestured to the rather large, yet cramped space. The numerous shelves did nothing to open up the library after all. “We haven’t yet had any warnings or triggers. Perhaps it is best that we moved on before the darkness interferes.” 

“Oh, yes.” Ienzo sighed in relief, pushing past Lumaria just a touch too eagerly. He had to find Aeleus, and perhaps even tell Even about this newest encounter. They would both certainly want to know.

Lumaria let him pass, quirking a brow at his haste but not bothering to question it. That ‘young man’ was just as blind as he had first assumed. For all all bravado of being the brightest ‘prodigy’ to have lived thus far, he was failing to see the absolute obvious. Strange that he should continue to miss something so very large.


	8. Chapter 8

This was not how Even had imagined their entrance.  The flight from London (that horrid gray city with the dirty people) had been rather smooth, and delightfully predictable until they had reached this point.  The roiling clouds churned above as they passed over the angry black waves of the ocean.  The sun was barely filtering through the moody cloud cover.  Rain was sparse, but spitting.  It pelted the ocean’s surface as they tried to get the Lightcycle (Even insisted on calling it that with a tenacity only he could muster) under control.  
  
Aeleus looked positively ill.  He was paler than Even had seen him since he got that raging fever back when they were...fifteen?  Either way, it didn’t seem rather promising that from his seat, he had his eyes firmly closed, refusing to look at the man central console that Even was currently working furiously over.  The man’s slender fingers flew over the myriad of silvery buttons which blinked at various intervals, warning, prompting, telling of everything that was going wrong.    
  
Because their landing was not going smoothly.  They had not expected this in the slightest.  Perhaps they had gotten just a touch overconfident when it came to approaching new worlds, but with their entry into the world of ‘Tortuga’ (or so his chart stated) they had been met with angry weather and a series of angry ships to go with it.  The weather had made them roll their eyes after their foul luck in London, but the ships had made them double-take.  
  
Men on ships who were afraid of foreign technology were one thing.  They tended to cower and run, which is extremely convenient, considering that they could hide the ship after just a moment’s technological preparation.  No, these men on ships were hysterical.  They had the exact opposite reaction to what Even had been hoping, and of course, that reaction included cannonballs and copious amounts of angry war-cries.    
  
The scientist had supposed that they all could have been a touch more careful, but alas, it was too late for those precautions now.  The silvery airship looked exactly like what he imagined people of this given era might classify as a nightmare or, in the screamed taunts he could hear from their enemies a, ‘demon boat from hell’.  
  
Really?  They couldn’t come up with anything better for his beautifully brilliant Lightcycle?  
  
Regardless, he was in the process of transforming from airship to a seaship while they hovered expectantly over the water.  The storm had ensured that they could not keep to the skies currently, but Even was driven now to make their get-away.  They had no alternative, unless they wanted to blow these primitive ships to kingdom-come with his own firepower.  Somehow that just seemed quite unfair and illogical to him, all in all.  Not only could they not defend that sort of attack, they would never know what hit them to begin with.  Defense was one thing, bloodshed was an entirely different one.  
  
Aeleus bit back a groan.  It was rare that Ienzo ever saw him this way, which was most likely why he looked as though someone had just ‘kicked his puppy’, so to speak.  Lumaria even had his own death grip on the arms of his seats as he watch’s Even’s progressively more sporadic movements on the dashboard of the control panel. Ienzo didn’t seem worried for Even’s sake thought, or even his own.  He seemed more concerned over Aeleus’ health but Lumaria could see the concentration in those poison green eyes, his precision becoming mechanical and almost inhuman, amazing and horrifying all at once.  
  
Arlene was biting back every nervous, sarcastic remark she could think of.  Everything from, ‘Oh, I suppose your age is effecting your driving, hm, old man?’ to ‘God, if we damage any of the shiny copper on your ship, they’ll have to melt a thousand steampunk goggles to replace it’. Truth be told, she couldn’t joke about it because she was scared stiff, all of her sarcastic remarks reduced to a short, nervous giggle.  Her nails dug into her own chair as she sat, paralyzed, watching the front window as Even worked miracles at the helm and the ship smoothly descended.  
  
“Hold on.” He ordered in clipped tones, yet entirely without panic. “We’ve taken proper form.  We’re landing.” It was all stated on such a factual basis that he simply pulled back on his controls and Lumaria felt a jolt in his gut before the soft huff and splash of the vessel hitting water.  Even gave himself no time to celebrate though.  Bolting from his vantage at his console, he made his way to the door. Ienzo jumped up to follow and Lumaria would have put money on the fact that Aeleus would have dashed off after them as well if he didn’t look as though he were waging a personal war between attending to an oncoming migraine and a horrendously upset stomach.  Being such a strong earth elemental must have it’s serious drawbacks at times.  Weaknesses.  
  
Shrugging the thought aside for a later date, there were far more pressing matters to attend to.  Arlene shakily extracted herself from her seat just as Lumaria did.  They gave one another an assessing nod, both equally glad that neither had to pilot the ship.  ‘Leave it to the nerds after all.’ Arlene seemed to admit with a simple roll of her eyes. Lumaria couldn’t be happier to agree in that moment. He gave the console a reproachful look before heading for the door.  
  
And the sight which he was greeted by upon exiting had him dumbfounded.  They stood on the wooden deck to a ship, aged by the waves, swaying moderately with the force of the wind.  The storm seemed to have blown itself out, but this thought came far secondary to the realization that he was standing on an entirely different ship.  The wood creaked beneath his booted feet.  
  
...Booted?  He did not recognize those boots in the slightest.  
  
The heavy brocade and warmth of a seafaring jacket was hanging from his form.  A leather tricorne covered his slightly overgrown pink hair and the ruffle of his cravat peeked forth over the top of his vestments.  Even and Ienzo were dressed in something quite similar.  It was reminiscent to their disguises in the world which they had just left, but something seemed grimier, tougher about their current state and he was almost certain it had nothing to do with the rain.  Arlene was wearing a brocade jacket of her own, her petite form seeming all the tougher framed in dark, heavy fabric. Seriousness did not suit her, nor did the fear in her eyes. Taking comfort in her endless jibes and crude humor, it was odd to see her staring out across the ocean, looking purposeful but terribly lost.  
  
He sensed it too, tasted it in the air like a foul, lingering stench. Fear plagued the boats which were currently aiming their guns, their cannons at them and every single weapon that they possessed at them.  Fear which led to desperate men, which lead ultimately to darkness.  Lumaria knew how far a desperate man would go, particularly when misled about their causes.  The screams of ‘demons’ and ‘hell-children’ were becoming all the more audible, palpable.  
  
“The ships cloaking system is hiding it’s true nature now, but it’s too little too late.” Ienzo pointed out unnecessarily.  He looked from the newcomers back to Even, having gotten no response from any of them.  He adjusted his tricorn to block out the oncoming rain as he made his way back to Even.  The scientist in question seemed to be in a faraway state, staring perplexed at the situation before him, giving it time to register and sink through his consciousness.  
  
Adrenaline pumped through his system, making the rain feel colder, the ship feel more solid then ever and those people, those fearful, angry, horrified people seem all the more dangerous.  If he chose to shoot them with his current technology, there was no doubt in his mind that they would entirely perish.  Yet, if they got close enough, he was absolutely certain that they would meet their own flavor of a grisly end.  Futuristic, steampunk styled ship or not, they would not last against a volley of shots in their direction for very long.  And aside from the weaponry, he was far more afraid of the screams which were demanding their lives.  Technology was one thing, but the minds behind it was a completely different subject.  If only he could just get them to cool down.  
  
...cool down.  
  
Even’s poison green eyes widened in realization.  Ienzo neared him, about to ask for instruction on how to maneuver the ship when suddenly the man in question darted back.  Getting a running start he dashed towards the edge of the boat and for a horrified moment, the entire assembly thought he was about to throw himself overboard.  He skidded to a halt, flinging a bright blue orb from his hand, using the combined effort of his own centralized power and momentum.  
  
The ball went sailing over the water, no pun intended, skimming the surface with an eerie bluish light, casting a light frost as it went until it finally reached the ships.  It plunged beneath the surface and for a second, there was an odd silence that stretched across the oceanic battlegrounds.  Suddenly the entirety of the ocean around them exploded into ice, rising forth in sharp shards , freezing the water around them and rendering the enemy’s boats absolutely motionless, trapped.  The terrified cries of their opponents filled the air as the party watched in dumbfounded silence.  It took a great deal of magical aptitude to be able to control your element under stress, and a great deal more to send it such a distance.  The glanced to Even, perhaps for confirmation that he truly had done it, but they found that he was already jogging back to the door to the control room, breathless from the effort, running off the thrum of necessity, adrenaline and perhaps hysterics that had prompted that idea to begin with.    
  
“We must escape while they’re frozen.” He confirmed in a rasp, heading back to the console at his usual quickened pace, yet it seemed all the more grave for their haste.  “Get back to your seats and strap yourseves in.  We’re in for quite a ride.”  
  
Aeleus groaned, seeming to have just gotten over the idea of having just ‘landed’. Ienzo looked upset. Lumaria took his seat, not liking the idea of the alternative.  Arlene did the same, gripping her armrests for support and finally Even pulled back on the controls, and with the groan of gears and machinery, the were sent shooting forward through the water, streaming towards for the nearest port, which should not have been far considering that their entry point said that it would be laughably nearby if they had not been sidetracked by errant seamen and angry weather.  
  
Even squinted at the monitor, giving himself a small, tired sigh along with a satisfied grin.  They had dodged death yet again and now they were headed to the one town that could offer him exactly what he needed: a strong drink, no questions asked.  
  
Tortuga was dead ahead.  
  
*****  
  
￼“Care to join me?”  
The question was rather innocent.  Lumaria and Even had walked into the rambunctious tavern without the expectation of even finding any seats but they had been pleasantly surprised with the sight that most of the bar had fallen into a drunken stupor on the floor.  Bodies littered the ground, snoring mixing in with the incoherent babbling of the usual patrons as they tried to talk themselves out of the fact that they had consumed far too much alcohol and were absolutely sloshed. Yes, inebriation should have been already out of the question considering that they could not allow themselves the luxury of letting their guard down.  Darkness lurked around every corner, they they were prime targets, but one could not be constant vigilant, Even reasoned.  Aeleus and Ienzo were now on watch (and the transformation of Aeleus from horribly seasick to entirely functional fighter happened within a few short minutes, to Lumaria’s absolute amazement).  This allowed them just a hint of the free time they had so desperately earned.  
  
Lumaria settled at the bar with an easy grace.  His figure was perched on a stool, and even the worn nature of his pirate clothing did not seem to take away from his general appearance.  He was gorgeous, Even noted.  He removed his leather cap and set it down on the counter next to him as Even moved around the bar.  He was slower than usual, the heat of battle having worn off for quite a bit of time now.  If truth were to be told, he found the swashbuckling gear to be quite cumbersome.  The worn, yet embroidered coat hung around to his knees and swished lightly as he passed to the back of the bar.  Lumaria quirked an eyebrow in question but soon realized that the establishment was woefully ‘unwatched’.  Even the barkeep was busy taking shots with a rather voluptuous woman off in the corner of the dingy room and pretending to look down at his cards when he was really looking down her ample...talents.  
  
Either way, both Even and Lumaria seemed more than willing to ignore the proceedings as the scientist in question (after disinfecting the cups, Darkness forbid he should ever be in contact with germs) poured liberal amounts of a few different liquors.  Lumaria watched carefully as they slowly mixed and turned a striking shade of green which almost seemed to glimmer in the gentle lamplight which the tavern used.  A chemist to the bitter end, he set a few of the bottles down with a proud flourish.  Pushing one of the two tall glasses toward his companion, he fixed him with a challenging grin, daring him to ask what was in it so that he could obviously refuse to tell.  After a moment of silence between the two, he huffed and took a prolonged sip of his own glass. Lumaria thought it prudent to finally break the silence with the question which made the most sense between them.  
  
“Should we have sex then?”  
  
Even spat his drink on to the bar.  Thankfully, Lumaria’s good reflexes carried him through an easy dodge.    
  
The scientist (and currently bartender) could have defined ‘stunned’ with the kind of look he had instinctively fixed Lumaria with.  His mouth was hanging open and his eyes were wide and blank, at a loss for words in a situation where words were serving him so very poorly to begin with.  He snapped his mouth closed and wiped himself off with the back of his hand, quickly withdrawing his own lacy handkerchief to mop up his mess from the filthy counter. “W-what are you-?” He stuttered, his mind obviously still reeling.  
  
“Don’t be foolish.  We’ve been moving toward this point for ages.” Lumaria answered, his voice smooth yet casual.  He ran a fingertip along the rim of his glass, taking a careful sip, his eyes never leaving the other man, his gaze watching for any signs of weakness any dead giveaways.  Even was absolutely full of them, after all.  The taste of the cocktail was certainly something surprising though.  Savory, and almost bitingly sweet, it was hard to find any trace of alcohol in the swirling liquid, yet he knew it was there just like he knew that he was correct.  
  
“That isn’t true!” Even scoffed, indignant yet the blush which was quite clearly spreading across his pale face was much more apparent as he backed away, and inadvertently into the light of one of the surrounding grimy lamps.  
  
“It is.” Lumaria confirmed.  “You don’t even seem to realize it, but it is.  You have been intrigued by me.  You study me carefully, and while I don’t quite understand the technicalities of what notes you may be taking, I doubt they can all be about my fighting style or my technical skills in battle with my element.” He continued onward, quite mercilessly as Even snorted in derision, rolling his eyes so hard Lumaria thought he might catch a glimpse of the wall behind him.  He took another long sip while the other man made insulted noises but no actual words came forth. “You watch me.  I’m not a fool, Even. I know what you want.”  
  
“How do you even come to these conclusions?” He snapped, incredulous.  “So it’s suddenly an invitation?  For someone to look over and see-”  
  
“It just so happens that you have not been alone.  I’ve been watching you too.” That stopped him dead in his tracks, the excuses dying on his lips.  He stared back at Lumaria, absolutely mute, not for the first time within five minutes which may very well have been a record for the loquacious scientist.  He snapped his mouth closed as though trying to take in the words which had been so plainly laid out before him, though his mind did not seem to want to comprehend.  
  
“I do not understand-”  But he hardly had the chance to finish his fumbling before Lumaria had a ready answer.  
  
“I want to have sex with you. You do as well, I know this.” He explained easily as he slid himself from his seat to step around the bar.  Without the comfort of having that wooden countertop between them, Even shrunk against the wall, his brilliantly green eyes widening, if possible.  For as smoothly as the man moved, he was remarkably fast and in a matter of a few seconds, he found himself not only pressed up against a wall, but also another body.  
  
The heat coming from him was remarkable, striking.  The scent of him, even despite their dingy surroundings, was intoxicatingly sweet and cloying as he felt his thoughts muddle into something far less than their usual snappy nature.  The demands of the day, the striking of this sudden surprise, he felt so very taxed.  It was as though he were peering at the world through water.  In this moment, to his mind, all that seemed to exist was Lumaria’s body, those crystalline eyes, the gentle, yet forceful press between the two of them and the kiss which followed.  
  
Yes, a kiss.    
  
It was barely a brush against his own lips, but those perfectly formed, petal soft lips were something entirely different than the former Assassin’s general attitude.  There was a note of careful askance in the action, his entire body prying in on Even’s closely guarded defenses.  It did not force itself upon him, it did not pin him into a decision, it did not require anything in return.  It simply was.  Even opened his eyes, tentatively, and realized that Lumaria’s own were staring directly back into his, entirely too close for comfort.  The feel of his breath against his own lips was almost a suggestion of something more.  
  
Words were failing his miserably and his heart was thrumming madly in his throat.  He wanted so desperately to look away, to break that contact which he was almost positive the other man had been holding this entire time, examining him for the same quirks and weaknesses which Even had been so keen to try to catch before, but there was simply no other place to look.  Lumaria filled his vision wherever he tried to escape to, and Even didn’t doubt for a second that he would take any opportunity to fill him completely and entirely.  
  
His hand was trembling horribly. He realized it when he felt the glass which he still grasping spilling it’s contents just slightly over it’s edges, wetting his fingers.  Everything about the situation was intoxicating, but above all else, there was one sensation which rose above all of the rest, one which overwhelmed and enticed him beyond even what his imagination could produce.  
  
Lumaria was so warm.  
  
Even leaned into the touch, setting his glass down with a soft clunk on to the counter top as his arms wrapped involuntarily around the other man’s lower torso, resting easily on his hips and drawing him in as though he could absorb that blessed sensation, let it overcome him.  His vision swam as he stopped fighting the urge to look away and forgot the instinct completely.  Lumaria was breathtaking, quite literally.  It did not distract him from the one, singular nagging quip in the back of his consciousness.  He had a fleeting thought, a flash of a memory.  In his mind’s eye, he saw Arlene so clearly, the look of longing which she had fixed on Lumaria so very frequently.  He never seemed to take note of it.  Strange, for a man so perceptive.  
  
“What about Arlene?” He whispered.  The question felt unwieldy, unnatural, as though the situation were begging for him to simply overlook it and pretend that his mind never wandered thus far, yet he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it needed to be aired.  
  
To his surprise, and perhaps a bit of disdain, Lumaria seemed at first taken aback and then he smirked as though sharing a joke.  “Arlene?” He murmured under his breath.  “Why would you-...Oh, Even, you thought that I was her’s?” A deep chuckle resounded in his chest, stifled by his full lips as he kissed the soft skin on the side of Even’s neck.  The other man shivered and blinked, as though trying to clear his mind.  He refused to think it was desire.  No, this was simply the lingering effects of using too much magic at once.    
  
“You mean, you’re not?” Even asked, just a touch more forcefully.  
  
“Of course not.” He laughed.  “No, it is purely physical between us.  We are far from exclusive, she is simply a distraction, though a particularly close confidante.” With a flippant smirk he continued his attentions to Even’s slender neck, brushing his lips along the tender skin, but to his dismay the other man seemed to have remarkably tensed.  He stared blankly forward, blinking his brilliantly green, unfocused eyes slowly.  
  
“What’s wrong now?” Lumaria whispered imploringly, his fingertips running along the other’s long strands of cornsilk colored hair before resting on his chest. There was an intimate pause between them, almost as though Even did not want to hear, or could not bring himself to believe the other man as he held his breath in shocked silence.  He could not seem to forget Arlene’s face, those eyes which trailed after Lumaria in restless hope which she knew that the man would never really see.  Had they convinced themselves of complacency?  Had they fooled themselves into believing their own lies?  
  
And where would Even ever fit in to this equation?  He was the extra man after all.  
  
Even shoved him, quite hard.  With a staggering thunk and a hiss of alarm, Lumaria recoiled, looking both affronted, surprised and enraged.  Opening his perfect mouth to retaliate, he found that his moment had been stolen by the scientist in question.  
  
“You idiot!” Even shrieked. If Lumaria was insulted at this moment, it was nothing to how Even felt.  Searing hot rage burned beneath his scathing glare, his deep scowl. “You absolutely mindless idiot!” He repeated, seething in sheer anger as he blindly swiped at the other man to get him away.  “How could you trick yourself into believing such blatant lies?” Somehow, his hand found his glass and he picked it up, and with remarkably adapt aim for someone so incensed, he flung it on the man before him, hitting him squarely in the face.  The green liquid splashed true, hitting it’s mark with strikingly satisfying precision.  
  
Lumaria sputtered, shaking his head in shock and dismay. This certainly was not turning out as he had planned in the slightest.  
  
“I deserve better!  You deserve better!” He shrieked onward, yelling so loudly that a few of the drunken patrons snorted in their sleep before rolling over in unison.  Lumaria backed away as the hysterical scientist continued.  “And she deserves more than just your casual dalliance!  So, if you intend on continuing any sort of relationships, I suggest that you clarify exactly where they stand!  If you can’t see her feelings for you, you’re just as blind as you seem to think I am!” He screamed, plowing mercilessly onward as Lumaria shuffled back, looking quite ungraceful for a beat.  
  
Even grasped hold of the door handle which was right behind him.  “You disgust me.” He growled, looking murderous as he retreated through it.  Lumaria stood, stunned and breathing heavily for a moment, about to wipe the cocktail from his eyes when Even burst out once again.  
  
“And, you had better apologize to her immediately!” He added, retreating once more with a deafening slam.  Marluxia edged back again, happy to be rid of the rather unpredictable scientist (no matter how fascinated he was by him) until the door was flung open once again.    
  
“THAT is a BROOM CLOSET!” He spat, red-faced with anger, before storming past Lumaria, heading for the front door.    
  
Even though Lumaria knew how to make an entrance to any room, the Scientist could, without a doubt, make an exit.  Lumaria followed along, thankful that no one saw him trip and reel over a bar stool on the way out.  
  
The only problem was that someone had been there after all.  From high in the rafters, tucked into the most hidden corner of the hanging, and nearly broken, wooden chandelier as though she were a carving herself, was the nymph, eyes hidden from sight in the dark shadows of the room, she shuddered and stifled a sob.  Lies may be upsetting, but it was nothing compared to the truth.


	9. Chapter 9

Lumaria didn’t catch up with Even until he found the other man flanked by Ienzo and Aeleus. He watched as the man shivered, looking more pale and shaken than he had since the beginning of their voyage. The scientist in question ran a hand reflexively through his long, cornsilk colored hair as he told Aeleus breathlessly that he was fine. No, nothing was wrong. Stop asking.

Peeking out from behind the corner of the dingy, shadowy alcove he had hidden himself within, he found that Aeleus’s look of concern down at Even spoke volumes more than words ever could. He reached down to touch the man’s shoulder but found that Even was already shying away, snapping angrily that he simply ‘needed rest’ and that ‘it had been a long day’. Anything not admit that he was feeling confused or upset or perhaps even harassed.

Aeleus didn’t seem convinced but nevertheless, he relented. Even did not look to be in the mood to be swayed. Ienzo was not looking at Even though.

He was staring directly at Lumaria.

The assassin was an expert of the shadows, he knew beyond any doubt that he could not be seen, but Ienzo already knew. Damn that runt and his ‘particular abilities’ in detecting scent. Damn that scientist and his sudden need for ethics.

Ienzo exchanged a look with Aeleus and quite suddenly Lumaria knew that they would already work out what had transpired. They were not fools; on the contrary, they were as sharp-witted and strong willed as Even was stubborn and intelligent. Perhaps that was why the balanced out that trio so well, so powerfully.

Even would not have to even breath a word of the proceedings, the events were already compromised. Regardless, even if they had decided to spend just a bit of extra time in that tavern’s ‘broom closet’, it would not have even mattered. Yet, would it.

The action was simply the beginning. It seemed careless, it felt easy but there was much more here than first met the eye. Sex to Even would simply be an action, the beginnings of affection but it would establish a connection for so much more. Lumaria backed away from the trio, moving carefully as to avoid debris in the alleyway and to keep himself carefully hidden. 

When he was Marluxia, he would have scoffed at this prospect, at what he had slowly but surely started to plan. It was all too simple, his goals, his conclusion, his necessities. While he had to admit, this particular need was a slight bit more out of reason, but he certainly supposed that he could make it work, eventually.

He wanted Even.

This realization did not come unbidden, though certainly the overwhelming sensation of longing and desire had. It had been a mild night, just a few short weeks after their reawakening and his place in Radiant Garden was still unsure, still finding it’s footing as to where his place currently was around this strangely endearing yet jarringly broken world. He was looked at as if he were a beautiful enigma, which was no different from usual. The treatment he usually received was along the same lines, but luckily for him, people were unreasonably fond of beauty, even if it was mysterious or even a touch scary. Better it it was the latter, fear being quite an aphrodisiac at times.

The light to the castle’s study was on, which was no surprise, being that he rarely ever saw it off. Even had been getting more sleep than usual, yes, but that did not stop him from his usual foray into his scientific obsessions. He kept strange hours, Lumaria had noted. It didn’t surprise him, but it also didn’t serve to deter. He slipped quietly into the room, the door being thankfully unlocked. Even did not notice, perched as he was at his desk, the furious scrawling of a pen on paper filling the air around them. Lumaria stepped toward him and frankly, he could have been stomping and knocking over china; the scientist would have heard nothing. He stopped directly in front of him. Even grumbled something under his breath, obviously to himself because it sounded something far too scientific to even make sense in a conversational atmosphere. Well, there was certainly one way to get his attention.

“I’m not sorry, you know.” 

Even jumped, dropping his pen in surprise and glancing around him, finally up to Lumaria as though the visitor had bodily shoved him. Scrambling to grab his pen before it fell from his desk he sputtered, “Wh-what?” 

“I’m not sorry.” Lumaria repeated, looking down at him, all expressions parsed down to one guarded, unblinking gaze. Getting a rise out of the older man was not exactly something of a game to him, as it was to Arlene or in the past, to Xigbar. This was, quite clearly (to him) a test.

“Oh, I know.” Even nodded easily in response, his brows only knitting slightly as though Lumaria had jabbed rather viscously at a fresh bruise before returning to his writing.

Lumaria had not known what to expect going diving into this conversation, but it certainly was not this. Perhaps he would have been able to handle Vexen’s ranting and raging, his demands of respect, his irate and irrational mood swings and mad ramblings. This collected answer, this acceptance was not something he had foreseen. Perhaps it was this which left him so awestruck. Even had given him a cohesive, straightforward and non-threatening response. It struck him now as making complete sense but at the time, he had been entirely astounded. Even looked up at him once more, his eyebrow quirking in an unspoken question. Seeing his lack of response, the academic sighed in understanding. With a quick flick of his wrist, he closed the booklet of notes which he was currently revising and turned his attention back to Lumaria.

“We’re speaking of your decision to lead me, as Vexen, to my own death, correct?” He asked, folding his hands neatly on the desk before him.

“Yes.” 

Even nodded in confirmation. “I wouldn’t expect you to be. Your actions as Marluxia were heartless and merciless, but tactically sound. You saw that situation as an opportunity and then subsequently took it as it presented itself. I cannot possibly fault you for this. I would have done the same as Vexen.” Even explained as Lumaria maintained his careful silence, staring down at him. “It was only logical.” He added softly, almost an afterthought. Staring down at his hands, it was remarkably easy for him to hide his emotions, but in finally looking up at the young assassin, Lumaria found something striking about that gaze. It held him entranced as he continued.

“In losing my heart, I had lost my sense and, in turn, lost myself. I hate to admit this, but it was my own insanity that led to my death. You were simply all too willing to speed that process along and the more I look back, the clearer it seems.” 

The madness which Vexen had absolutely specialized in was long gone it seemed, faded from his eyes just like that horrifyingly gripping obsession that had settled into a comfortable yet misled love for his craft. Even looked up at Lumaria with those strikingly bright eyes, a man humbled by death and all the more grateful for life, yet there was a tired sadness that lingered behind his words, a whisper of the truth he was all to afraid to admit to, that perhaps he did not deserve the respect that he had so demanded in the past; his mistakes had outweighed his discoveries.

After the moment between them held without an exchange of words, Even sighed, pushing himself up from the desk, his delicate fingers splayed across his papers, his studies, his books, his experiments. Was this...his castle after all?

“I shall leave you on that note.” He said, voice barely above a whisper, his words seeming exhausted behind his conviction. “So much to correct, so little time.” He finished, more to himself than his companion. 

Lumaria watched him turn, taking in every tiny motion, every subtle movement, the cold and collected expression on his face. The freezing, bitter and calculating glare which Vexen wore often had settled into something of a chilly sadness, a reproachful acceptance of his current station and what his actions had wrought. He clutched a book in his hand, his mind as occupied as his gaze, those unearthly green eyes set into a porcelain angular face, framed with cornsilk colored hair, bleached nearly white in light of his study. Those maddening outbursts which Vexen had been ridiculed for were all but forgotten now, waylaid by a more responsible sleep schedule, perhaps, and maybe even a more steady diet. He looked sturdier, altogether more cohesive of an human being as he stepped past and it suddenly dawned on Lumaria. He was quite beautiful in his own way.

As Marluxia, he had loved to goad Vexen, to taunt him and push him into breaking. He had wanted to confuse the mad scientist, wanted to turn his world and all of his preciously ‘logical’ beliefs into the ashes he knew that they were. He had an unreasonable and unjustified hatred of the man, and in that sense, he had knew innately that there might have been something, some shadow of a feeling there.

Now that they were whole, it seemed all too clear now. His heart thundered in his chest, straining against the constraints of emotions which he could actually comprehend at this point in time, so soon after his reawakening. Blood pumped through his body and he sensation was nearly overwhelming. Even the scent of the man was clean, antiseptic, with just a hint of something new, yet recognizable. He wanted to pull him back. He wanted to hear him speak in that calm, assured, almost melancholy way once again. He wanted to know just how he would move at Lumaria’s touch; he wanted to know the taste of those lips.

“If you need reading material, please return it where you found it when you’re done.” Even finished with a perfunctory nod before stepping soundly through the door, leaving the light on for his companion. He left Lumaria standing before his desk, staring blankly at the meaningless mound of papers, yet his mind was spelling out quite a different fact.

Lumaria was well versed in the ways of attraction, for reasons he would never be willing to discuss in polite company (or any company for that matter), but he knew this just as he knew that this sensation was strikingly different than the outright fondness and understanding which he felt for Arlene or the forays he had dabbled into ‘true love’ before in his earlier years. He could never have revealed how he knew, but without a doubt this could only mean one thing.

He wanted Even. 

No, not just physically. The visceral fulfillment of sex was a simple, base gratification. It was crude, rushed, enjoyable but so undeniably human. He wanted something higher, something better, something far more enthralling and in turn more demanding. He wanted to Even to long for him, to think on him, to dwell on his reactions, his emotions, his very essence. He wanted to take Even’s mind, his heart, not just his body.

Lumaria looked back to the door, finding it slightly ajar. He was vibrating with energy, but knowing that this was not quite the way to go about the hunt. Even would be his, yes. It was only a matter of time on that fact, but how he went about doing it would have to be far smarter, far more tactical. He appreciated that fact. Picking up one of those unreadable pages from the desk and studying the man’s scrawling script with a nearly lazy grin. Lumaria did so enjoy a challenge.

But he had gone about it in all the wrong ways, he reflected, bringing him forcefully back the present where he was currently leaning against a wall in the alleys of the filthy Tortuga. He had hoped that Even would have taken the bate, would have fallen for his ‘this is the only logical progression between us’ that sounded so very clinical to his own ears. Frankly, he would have preferred the sweet-nothings method, but he could already sense Even’s distrust from the first second he had started down that path. Although Even claimed that he understood Marluxia’s methods of planning, he didn’t seem to be so very willing to forgive them, better yet forget. 

"Exploring all alone, are we?"

Arlene's playful voice seemed to come out of thin air. Granted, he had heard her approaching footsteps, but they had been so soft, so calculated, he was almost certain that she had been following him for far longer than he would have ever suspected of her.  He was a trained assassin, granted, but she was quite the seasoned warrior by this time anyway, and one doesn't hang around a merciless fighter and not learn a thing or two.

Lumaria looked over at her in the dark alleyway, his surprise at her sudden approach veiled by his usual calm smile. "Of course not.  I was waiting for you to come along." He replied easily, yet he could not help but think back on the moment that he had shared with Even, the look of shock and horror when Even had learned of his rather distant approach to emotions, particularly with Arlene.  He couldn't understand, of course, but looking his companion in her bright blue eyes now as they spoke, he felt a flicker of uncertainty. 

Lumaria and Arlene’s own agreement about the treatment of affection had been made ages ago.  It was part of what he had loved Arlene so fondly for.  Her reply to his implication that this was not love, this was simply the height of satisfaction between them had been simple: "That's great.  Men can be such clingy babies anyway." And that had been the end of it. Arlene, much like himself, knew her limits, knew what she wanted, how to get it, and not to dwell too long on the unimportant (like small-minded people and idiotic loyalties).

"Oh really?" She piped in, falling easily in step beside him." She giggled innocently in response to his easy, obvious lie.  She knew he was up to something.  He knew he was up to something. Part of the game between them always hinted on a side of mystery, after all.  "Well, I'm here now, and I'm up for a good adventure." She stepped easily ahead, swinging her perfectly round hips as her boots thunked against the dirty cobblestones dodging trash and worse. "I've already discovered something pretty fun if you're up for it.  Of course, if you're too scared..." She teased, trailing off.  Typical Arlene.

Truth be told, Lumaria was not in the mood.  He wanted to withdraw into himself, wanted desperately to think and reflect on the drink he had just had, or worn, rather.   Even had been all too willing before the revelation of the Assassin's 'extracurricular' practices, but the look of distrust, of fear in his almost lantern-like eyes had been striking, it stuck with Lumaria beyond what he assumed should have been normal.

But Arlene was pulling at his arm insistently now, dragging his mind to the present and her wicked grin.  "Alright, alright." He allowed smoothly, following along after her, gaging her reactions carefully.  Even had seemed so shaken, perhaps there was something of Arlene he had been missing. Doubt gnawed at the back of his consciousness as he followed.

The small home where their trek ended was not amazing.  It did not glimmer softly in the dull gray night, nor did it stand apart from the rest of the buildings and homes which surrounded it.  It was just as dingy, dirty and unkept as the rest of it's peers, which Lumaria supposed could have spoken to the cohesion and organization of their design.  He gave Arlene a questioning glance as she sauntered over to the door and easily pushed it open.  "I saw something pretty special in the window and I thought I should investigate."  

Lumaria glanced at the door knob, or rather therefore lack of.  A dark, smoldering hole had replaced it.  That impish grin returned to the woman's face.  "I found it that way." She justified without a second glance.  Stepping in, she waited for Lumaria to follow.  He had to bite back a gasp.

Lumaria had never seen so many rubies, diamonds, emeralds and sapphires encrusted into the hilts of daggers, strewn on to necklaces, or even simply lying about on tables and chairs, cleverly hidden behind burlap cloth or dirty cotton.  From the outside, no sunlight could reach the glittering jewels, rendering them dark and useless stones until brought forth to the open air, where their value was certainly apparent.

And yet...

Lumaria leaned in for a closer look.  Their color, it was slight off, slight too vibrant, like how one's dream or imagination might make jewels out to be.  He slowly, carefully eased a ruby encrusted necklace from the tabletop next to him and held it up to Arlene's neck as though to admire it in a better light or position, upon a woman's beautiful form.  He smiled charmingly.

"Fake." He assured her softly. She smiled right back at him, face obscured by the shadows of the small home.

"I could say the same to you, couldn’t I?" 

Lumaria paused, dumbfounded.  Arlene stepped easily away, taking up a rather long rapier with a sizable opal inlaid into the hilt from the table before her and looking deeply into the glass which compromised it's authenticity. "These people may have had a rather convincing counterfeit operation, but you're so damn good at faking that you've fooled yourself, pretty man." 

And now he was convinced: there was too much bite to her words.  She had known.  She had listened.  His easy smile faded into something far more unsavory.  "I taught you every spying trick you know.  How dare you-"

"Spy on your botched attempts to get laid?" She sneered, circling the point of her weapon dangerously in the air before him like a jeering finger.  

Lumaria's eyes narrowed dangerously.  He didn't like that tone, and he liked the weapon in her hand even less. "This does not concern you."  In an motion so quick, it was almost unseen in the darkness, his hand swiped a spindly dagger from the table to his left, avoiding the revealing moonlight and giving Arlene a hardened glare, a challenge. Arlene, of course, didn't miss a beat.  Perhaps it had been her waiting for him to arm himself, to have some sort of defense, because she now lunged forward.

"Oh, but apparently it does!" She jabbed at her counterpart, laughing wickedly at him as he dodged swiftly to the side, letting her attack fall astray.  "Who knew the old man had such standards, hm?" Arlene finished, darting away as the hilt of his weapon nearly impacted her head.

"I suppose you think this is so amusing." Lumaria spat back, sidestepping yet another quick attack, knocking the follow up swipe away. "Why are you doing this?"  The assassin demanded, spinning around a table to put space between them in these confined, crowded corners.  Arlene wasn't about to be deterred though.

She easily jumped over the table, in complete disregard for the fact that she was wearing heels.  Lumaria might have had time to marvel if he wasn't now faced with another oncoming lunge.  This little game seemed to get more deadly the longer it went on.  Lumaria had to end it, before she got out of hand.  There was an anger flashing in her brilliant green eyes that reminded him strikingly of someone who he dare not even try to compare her to at this moment. Even might have thrown at drink in his face, but it seemed that Arlene was far more fond of the notion of skewering him apparently.

"Stop this now!" He ordered, but for all the anger in his voice, there was a sincere note of concern which he could not deny.  

"So, I'm just some kind of amusement to you?  A toy?!" She kicked out with her heeled boot, upsetting the table behind Lumaria as he dodged smoothly yet again, but he couldn't avoid these attacks forever.  Their space was too small and her anger was far too large.

"I'm as much a toy to you as you are to me.  I did not tell Even a lie." For once, he finished inwardly.  Arlene cringed as though he had cursed at her, her fist clenched so tight that he could see her knuckles turn white in the darkness.  Her eyes flashed, full of wrath, anger, trying to see betrayal where there was nothing but misunderstanding.  

She made for a final lunge and Lumaria was prepared this time.  He darted forward to meet her, thrusting his own weapon directly to her throat before she could even try to hit her mark, holding her at bay.  He finally got a chance to look her pained features closely now, the sense of desperation and defeat which curved along the line of her delicate lips.  She was beautiful and tragic all at once.

"I never meant to hurt you." He admitted almost moreso to himself than to her.

"I never meant to get hurt." She sighed shakily, her character sarcasm left in the wake of her shock and sadness.

"This can't continue, can it?"

"No." 

The silence stretched between them, the darkness within the little home was heavy but somehow, the stream of light which did manage to filter through the windows lit the multitude of fake gemstones so they glimmered brilliantly, casting colorful patterns on the wall.  The sight of them was worth more than anything, Lumaria supposed.  With a sigh, Lumaria finally spoke. "Withdraw your weapon.  I've already won."

"Don't get overconfident, pretty boy.  You always speak too soon." A small, snide grin grew on her tired features as he finally looked down. Her sword was pointed directly at his crotch. "You might be able to kill me if you're willing to pay the price." 

Another pause.  A beat of silence passed between them. Then Lumaria couldn't remember laughing that hard in a long, long time.  He might have just escaped a very close call with her, but thank God for that woman.


	10. Chapter 10

Packing up to leave was always the easiest part of journeying.  Everything that you needed was already set out before you had left, and thus the only mindless task that came next was picking up after the mess you had made.  Time and time again, no matter how many worlds he adventured off to, Even always found comfort in the fact that there was a home to which he could look forward to seeing once again.

Radiant Garden was simply a place, yes, but it was also his place.  He had known no other world to be so intriguing, so enthralling even after living there, seeing it on a daily, personal basis.  Yes, his memories were now tainted by the evils of his past, but that could not entirely erase his full and beautiful memories of that sparking world, full of knowledge and, even more importantly, questions.  There was no more glorious a place for a scientist than one where he found questions.

But travel was no foreign concept to Even, not in the slightest.  His younger years at the castle had been full of travel, to the disbelief of many.  As a student of the great Master Ansem the Wise, he was expected to be learned in all possible forms of scientific study, particularly the ones which could 'benefit', as his wise master would have put it.  Healing, to cut to the point.  Medicine was needed everywhere, from the worlds in which the jungles were so thick, so stifling yet beautiful and vivid it was as though they had grown from a storybook, to the unyielding deserts, so hot and dry that water was not only a commodity, it was a blessing.

Their technologies could be used within everything, Master Ansem had taught him fondly at that time, just the two of them. Even his scrawny, curious student of a mere 7 years and the great and wise Master Ansem were quite the duo.  Even watched, took notes, recorded statements, results.  These were the tame activities though.  As their travels continued, Even saw greater ailments, more painful symptoms, heartbreaking deaths and yes, many the aftermath of idiotic battles. Even could suture a wound by ten.

This was, of course, before they found Aeleus and Ienzo, but that was not Even’s story to tell completely.

Even's eyes were unfocused as they neatly folded his extra clothing, sipping it into his carrying satchel before he moved on to several notebooks, strewn across his desk.  They had chosen to stay the night in Tortuga, while Ienzo checked on the damages which had been done to the ship in their hasty escape.  They'd been minimal, but still enough to warrant caution. Nothing spelled disaster like hubris, after all, and when machines were involved, they always seemed to be looking for the best opportunity to screw over all parties.  It was always a good idea never to give them that excuse. 

If all would go according to plan, they would not need to stay here any longer.  The presence of the darkness, or whatever enemy happened to be following them was strengthening in their wake and they could not be affording to take any unnecessary risks, like lingering.  Their objective was not to defeat them, but to buy time.  Only a keyblade could defeat the darkness.  It just happened to be that this darkness wanted exactly what their motley crew had to offer, and none of that was apparently keyblade-worthy.

Regardless, leaving this morning would be preferable, considering the nature of this world.  Darkness was ripe, strong, and so very willing to seduce the innocent, whatever 'innocent' happened to be left.  

Looking around at his empty room, he realized just how empty it was, how dingy it looked as the rising sunlight cast a soft glow through the thin curtain on the window.

"You know, I'm still not sorry."

Even dropped his entire bag of pens (pencils, quills, sticks of charcoal, vials of who-knows-what, whatever else he saw fit to take samples of), sending it splaying across his nightstand as he whirred to face the newcomer whose voice he knew far too well.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I don't care?  And, will you stop sneaking up on me, for God's sake?" He shrieked, perhaps just a bit too viscously, too shrill. Even was surprised to hear his own voice ring out in such an awkward way.  It grated him to know that the element of surprise had caught him so very easy. With an irritated sigh, he set about to picking up his belongings.  Lumaria, he was intrigued to admit, joined him in his efforts.

"But, I am sorry that you were caught off guard.  I did not mean to dismay you." Lumaria continued. 

"Oh, to dismay me over what? Your disregard for your companion, or your assumption that I was such a cheap date?"

"Is that sarcasm I hear?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Even grumbled, closing the case with a flourish of his slender hand before slipping it into his bag as well. He had avoided looking Lumaria in the eye up until that point, but doing so now had revealed something quite unexpected.

The set of his mouth, the concentration within his expression seemed just a touch alien, as though he wore those feelings with a bit of annoyance and perplexity. "If it makes you feel a little less," He gestured vaguely with his hand, "irate, I spoke with Arlene."  Even quirked a brow in wordless curiosity.  "She was upset, but we agreed that our physical relationship could not continue this way." This elicited a tilt of the head from his scientist and a piercing look which he could not entirely put to words. 

And then there it was, that slow smile of understanding, the pitying shake of his head as he crossed his arms in front of him to finally turn to Lumaria completely.

"And somewhere within that pretty little head of yours, you think that this changes something?" Even's smile turned bitter as he stared expectantly at the other man for an answer.  He was met with a searing glare, made all the more poignant by the fact Lumaria seemed just a touch too offended to hide it completely on his flawless face.

"I was admitting that you may have been right for once.  Arlene had been," He paused, unwilling to say the word, unwilling to admit to being the cause. "attached, and we realized that we could no longer continue as we were." Even's bitterness faltered in the wake of this realization, the fact that someone had actually taken his input quite seriously.  It had been a while after all.

"I also come here to say that I'm fine with pretending that our kiss never happened." Lumaria said easily, glancing down at his nails in one of the most convincing overproductions of 'uncaring' that he had ever used.  "We can return to our stoic distrust of one another at any time." 

Of course, it was remarkable how quickly Even fell for it, and Lumaria couldn't help but admit himself at least slightly hopeful at the faltering look of disappointment that flashed on his features before he hid them carefully behind his own mask of casual disregard. "Oh, that." He said, too airily. "I had forgotten." Even waved a hand as though swatting away a particularly pesky fly. A fly that had literally been bothering him for the entire night.

"I'm sure you did." Lumaria continued smoothly, and in a motion that seemed so natural, he pulled a few strands of hair back from Even's face and tucked them carefully behind his ear. The action was so affectionate that a blush blazed across his face from his pointed nose to his the tips of his ears.

Adorable.

"The party is prepared to leave when you are." Lumaria finished, moving towards the window to unhinge the lock.

Even paused in his surprise, but then did a double-take as Lumaria drew back the curtains. "You...came in through the window?" He speculated, realization dawning on him.

"Yes." 

Even stared at him, brow furrowing in confusion and incredulousness. "But, why would you-"

"Why not?" Lumaria cut in softly, a slightly mischievous grin on his face as he slipped out silently, climbing with the agility that only the most trained of rogues could manage, his body moving with the greatest of ease as he nimbly slinked down the side of the inn, finding and using hand and footholds that Even hadn't even realized existed.  When Lumaria finally had his booted feet on the filthy streets of Tortuga, he looked up Even expectantly. The scientist quirked a brow in response.

"What, no somersaults?" He murmured with a chuckle before closing the window with a rather solid thump and turning to pick up his pack.

\-----

 

Ienzo's face was absolutely unreadable.  He exited from the rather mundane, weather worn doors of the same, beaten and used deck of the false ship which Even had so cleverly devised for them.  The brass inner workings of the actual apparatus was hidden just beyond those doorways, and yet Ienzo seemed so bored that he actually chanced a wide yawn as he approached Aeleus, who was standing solidly on deck.  He had said he was waiting for their companions, but the young prodigy knew better.  It was another case of clever facades.  Aeleus hated sailing, flying, driving; Ienzo supposed he must hate anything that took him away from being grounded. Very predictable, and certainly not surprising.  His only experience with all of these was with Even, and the mad scientist piloted like he needed to be at his destination yesterday.

Aeleus gave him a questioning look.

"Really, the damage is not so bad.  The ship is in working order, if our captain is." Ienzo admitting, watching carefully for the oh-so-subtle signs of discomfort on his companion's face. It was not uncommon to hear from others that Aeleus was absolutely 'immovable' and 'stoic' or 'unreachable', but looking at him now as he paled and crossed his massive arms stubbornly, he had to think that the people around them must be absolutely brain dead, or blind, or both.

"Do you think he is in working condition?" Ienzo continued, so casually, so softly that no one would even bother to eavesdrop.  "Our captain, I mean." Ienzo looked bored still, unimpressed if not slightly exhausted by all of the rigmarole of being stuck in this port for more than a minimal amount of time. Aeleus saw more than the act, of course.  Those bright eyes were attentive and unblinking.  This was not just a concern over Even's ability to steer (badly).

"We should keep an eye out for him." Aeleus replied lowly, giving a subtle nod to the approaching individuals.  Ienzo looked at him, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that they were thinking of the same exact man. No, not their insane driver, but rather the one that seemed to be driving him insane. 

Lumaria.

He was walking so smoothly, so swiftly, that he would have approached them in a moment, but it was enough for Ienzo to sense Aeleus' discomfort, to know that momentary shift in his muscles and how he suspected him of just something a bit beyond simple treachery.  No, if the assassin was involved, it was the underlying manipulation they needed to watch for.  The man may have a pretty face, but there was far more happening in that mind than his blank expression would ever relay.

Of course he was accompanied by his swaggering nymph.  She looked bright eyed and bushy-tailed, already half way through a tankard of ale which she swigged in generous gulps as she approached, laughing raucously at something she had apparently just whispered to her pretty assassin.

"Aren't you getting started a tad bit early?" Ienzo greeted her distastefully.

"I'm just starting off my day with the breakfast of champions." She snipped back with a satisfied grin.  "They seemed to be all out of cereal here, but thankfully, the booze is cheap." She giggled shrilly. "You jealous?" 

"Not at all." Ienzo replied calmly.

"Oh really?  Because, Ael totally is." She gestured to the giant man with her tankard just in time to catch him looking away ridiculously as though caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Ienzo shook his head with a sigh.  For such a stoic man, he was really quite transparent.

"Do you want a swig?" She offered temptingly.

"Of course he doesn't." Ienzo cut in before Aeleus could even breath in to speak. The guardian's expression fell but Ienzo plowed onward.  "And where is Even?  Didn't you say that you were going to get him?"

"He's right behind us." Lumaria gestured at the approaching figure, smartly dressed in his gear, walking stiffly behind the duo and seemingly lost in his own thoughts too much to take note of their stares.

Really, he should have been a bit more careful, Ienzo thought with a note of annoyance.  Walking in his usual, purposeful, stiff fashion, looking as pristine as if he sterilized his 'pirate styled' clothing, he stuck out like a sore thumb. 

"We're supposed to be laying low." Ienzo muttered to him when he was finally near enough.  Even’s eye twitched in annoyance at having his own mistakes pointed out to him quite so forcefully. 

"We are about to leave, I hardly see the point." Even snapped in response.  Ienzo had his mouth open to retort when it was his turn to be interrupted.

"Are you fit to sail, Captain?" Aeleus asked lowly, edging off this argument before it even began. Even looked confused for a moment, not knowing to whom Aeleus was referring to (even to the point of looking around somewhat dumbly to see if anyone else perked up in response), before he jumped back into the present.

"Oh, of course." He said easily.  "I'm fine.  I've rested." And yes, his powers had quite dutifully returned during the night, leaving him invigorated and just a touch amazed he had even managed to freeze so much water to begin with.  It's quite amazing, what a bit of desperation will do to your abilities if given the chance.  He had, of course, taken extensive notes following the event to study later. 

Lumaria looked at him appraisingly.  Arlene looked at Lumaria with annoyance.  Aeleus looked at Arlene (or rather her drink) longingly.  Ienzo looked at Aeleus in exasperation. Even looked at his entire crew like he was about to call it quits and head home before his brain exploded into a migraine.

"Everyone get in the ship." He ordered, a note of confidence in his voice that he clearly did not truly feel.  Ienzo and Even led the way in, eager to find the control panel once again. Lumaria followed, smoothly stepping along.

"Hey, big guy" Arlene piped as she and Aeleus lagged just a touch behind. "You still thirsty?"  He quirked a brow, giving the door which the scientists entered a quick glance, as though making sure they were not about to pop out of nowhere and nag him until he was wishing he was absolutely deaf. 

She held out the half finished tankard. "Go ahead and kill it for me." She said with a playful grin. 

"Thanks." Aeleus said, returning the grin.  He tipped the ale back and finished it in a matter of moments, sighing gratefully afterwards.  Arlene had been quite right. The ale was worth the trip.

Meanwhile, both Even and Ienzo were looking through the surveillance system at the duo as they approached the door.  Even grimaced as Ienzo gave him an expectant look.

"I told you he'd do it." Ienzo chuckled as Even rolled his eyes and handed over a hundred munny.

\-----

The trip was uneventful, and there was no one happier to admit that than the current group of travelers.  After the last misbegotten adventure they had undergone, the entire crew wanted nothing more than a world that would not even begin to look threatening or hostile.  A world of bunnies, or fluffy kittens perhaps, Aeleus mentally suggested as he tried not to concentrate on that fact that his stomach seemed to be in his throat and through the floor all at the same time.

They had long since landed now though, and to be honest, the world could not have looked more gray. The general world below their cleverly hidden ship seemed to all be made of the same shade of dull, tired slate gray. Peering down from the windows, Lumaria fancied that he could see a small town of people, all smartly dressed in monochromatic, and looking to be just about as half asleep as the entire world felt.  It was a blur of boring, he reflected, an expression of the uptmost distaste crossing his perfect face as he wondering how much better it would look if they would just plant a few flowers.  On second thought, in this kind of chilled rain, they would most likely die if left unattended.

Ienzo yawned widely as Even steered their ship to the ground, looking just as intrigued as usual.  He landed the ship carefully within a clearing in the surrounding sparse forest.  The trees were curved, wicked looking, weathered in these winter months to be nearly as black as the darkness they were currently running from. It was strikingly surreal, Even noted mentally as he tried to ignore the jitters from his beautiful machine as they eased to the ground. His expertly crafted vessel was resilient, but it was extensive, and travel between worlds was difficult for even for a keyblade wielder.  They would need to give the vessel a serious check up and run down soon.  

The calibration on their 'makeover machine' as Arlene was wont to call it, took quite a deal longer than usual, searching the cultural database for an uncomfortable amount of time before settling their clothing into something that would be considered 'presentable'. Perhaps the machine was just as bored with the world as the people were.

When it finally did, the entire party looked as though it were dressed for an extensively long funeral, complete with heavy brocade black jackets, poofy cravats, coat tails and in the case of Arlene, a fluffy black skirt, bustle  and conservative blouse that could have earned her the name of 'Matron'.  She sighed distastefully, angry at the corset that was now squeezing her midsection into something unnatural and absolutely ridiculous.

Each one looked at their outfit, then at one another, as though suspecting that the computer had a vendetta, and then back down to themselves, just a shade  more depressed than they had been just a second ago.  Even their skin tones seemed to be changing into something deadened. 

"Well, let's get this over with." Ienzo groaned.

"Be on your guard." Even warned, leading the way off of the ship (which was quite alien, seeing as the outside rendered it invisible. To the naked eye, the scientist seemed to be walking on air to the forest floor. "The darkness will be harder to discern here with all of the depression running rampant." He clutched at his notebook and began to jot down his observations.

"I wouldn't give it that much clout, if I were you." Arlene huffed, rolling her eyes. "These people are depressed, but they're also dumb as rocks.  Trust me, it hasn't changed in years.” In frustration she ran her fingertips over her confined midsection.  They Nymph might have been able to marvel at the craftsmanship if she didn't hate the stupid thing so much. Lumaria shot her a sideways concerned glance, placing his hand on the small of her back as though to steady her.

"It's fine." She admitted complacently. "I just really hate homecomings."

The assembled stopped dead in their tracks, staring wide eyed at Arlene as she smoothed out her hair and sparred them an annoyed glance.  "What?" She snapped.

"This is your home world?" Ienzo prompted immediately, having quickly shook himself from his shock to regain composure.  Lumaria seemed to have done much the same, but the gaze which lingered on Arlene was nothing short of betrayed. Aeleus seemed mildly shocked, but nothing could really serve to upset him.  Even was openly gaping.  He was never one to maintain a poker face. 

Arlene rolled her eyes. "Yes." She answered with a note of impudence.  "I grew up here, but I didn't really want to come back." She gestured vaguely around to the blackened trees, growing from a gray ground, adorned with a sparse few gray leaves, rimming a coal colored trail that led straight into the depths of boredom itself.

Even quirked a brow.  He obviously wasn't understanding it.  He found almost every world interesting, yet all citizens tended to be a touch idiotic and slow by his standards.  "Intriguing.  You've developed in exactly the opposite mentality most likely due to the restrictions of your youth within this intrusive and extremely rigid environment." He interjected, earning a rude gesture from the woman in question.  He grimaced in response, about to snap back but thinking better of it.  Perhaps that had been too forward of him, after all.  This was her home world.

"You've got a talent for the obvious." She grumbled. 

They followed after Arlene, and truthfully, they should have been more on their guard, but the entire party seemed entirely too concentrated on the rather shocking fact about the woman before them.  To think that they were finally learning something of her other than yet another bad habit she was forcing upon them was quite a revelation. While Lumaria looked a touch annoyed at her, there was still an air of curiosity about the way he lingered nearby as she stepped hastily along in her laced leather boots.

"So, you know your way through here?" Ienzo asked with a touch of hesitation.  

"Oh yes.  I know these woods way too well." Arlene nodded, a sudden, coy grin lighting her features. "I used to come back here all the time. Breaking the rules, sewing my wild oats, if you will." She shot Aeleus a sidelong glance and a mischievous grin. "Gettin' any ideas, big guy?"

Aeleus looked away, successfully hiding his blush from absolutely no one.

"So, are we headed to the town then?" Even continued Ienzo's line of thought, wondering where exactly the party was going.

"Only if you want to die of boredom." She snipped back at him. "I'm taking you to the real party.  Trust me, you'll thank me later." 

"And what sort of party is this?" Lumaria asked, mimicking his companion's coy grin, masking his own uncertainty beautifully, but Arlene saw though it with ease.  Either way her heart lurched uncomfortably at his gaze and she couldn't help the bitterness that followed.

"You'll see." She huffed, trudging along through the woods.  Even tried to recall what else he had seen through the window when passing over this incredibly dull landscape. A church, a few smaller shops, a graveyard, a jail.

Oh no.  A bunch of convicts seemed like just the sort of ‘party’ Arlene would prefer...

But to his pleasant, or unpleasant surprise, they arrived at the gateway to the rather twisted looking graveyard.  (To Even's credit, that would have been his second guess).

"I'm not sure what we're doing here, but I'm not interested in any of your 'oat-centric' past times." The scientist stated quite frankly.  Ienzo stifled a laugh and Aeleus shifted uncomfortably, Lumaria smirked and Arlene groaned.  Even really was quite brilliant, and yet had so very much to learn.

"Calm yourself, professor." She sighed. "I'm here to visit my Grandmother." Arlene said flatly.  Even's eyes' went, if possible, wider and his disapproval settled into respectful silence. She continued leading the way, past row upon row of tombstones.  Some were simple affairs, slabs of granite, weathered with age and time. Some had intricate carvings, pictures, even sculptures of angels reaching out or weeping. Some who were unsettingly young, and others who had the good graces and luck of the draw to reach a ripe old age before departing.

Arlene paused, staring forward with a practiced control and grace. The woman in the statuette before her was young, beautiful and lovingly rendered.  The frills of her dress were carved in such particular detail, it was as though they were about to billow in the light breeze as they all peered forward at the tombstone. There were no flowers at the base and the weeds grew hungrily about the bottom, but she seemed to take pride in it all the same. "Grandma Elizabeth." 

"I'm sure she was a lady." Aeleus comforted, his voice low.

"She was the raunchiest, drunkest, most insanely badass woman I’ve ever met.  Perfect role model." Arlene sighed, endearment and longing clear on her face as the rest of the party stood behind, shooting glances at one another, all apparently thinking the same exact thing: What the hell?

"I wish we could have met her." Ienzo said softly, awkwardly, touching Arlene's arm as though to get her attention.  She kept her eyes locked to the ground, expression hidden from view. "Perhaps we should go search the to-" Ienzo began, but he didn't have a hope of finishing as Arlene finally rounded on them.

"Perhaps I should introduce you to her." She cackled, gripping the small statue with wicked delight before pulling the rather cleverly hidden lever back. 

All Aeleus could remember before before dropping was the squeal of delight which had come from Arlene and the look of sheer horror on the faces of the rest of the party.  According to the Nymph, everything seemed to be going according to plan.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dropping into a party that they were never invited to, our group finds that they're not exactly being kicked away from the celebrations of the afterlife. Arlene is all too familiar with partying with the best of the ghosts with the most. It's strange though, that they've shown up uncharacteristically early. Or, at least, they hope they have.

Illogical, horrifying, unnatural.  Yes, this seemed like a suitable adventure for the group, Even reflected dourly, now walking through the streets of the underground city, almost blinded by the brightness of the colors in comparison to the drab ones that they had just left.  He gave Arlene a close look as she flitted up ahead, talking to the a skeleton, (yes, an actual skeleton) that had greeted them upon their rather impromptu arrival before the skeleton turned and walked bow-leggedly down a side-street.  
  
To say that Even was a bit surprised to wake up next to the aforementioned creature was a bit of an understatement.  Frankly, it was nothing compared to his abject horror at seeing that it was just as capable of getting up, stretching and going about it's 'usual' skeleton business as he was, whatever that happened to be.  
  
When they had dropped in from the world of the living, Even had been absolutely certain that this was it, this was how he met his end, murdered by an insane little nymph in a creepy monochromatic graveyard while looking at her formerly hottie-tottie, hussy grandmother.  The ground had dropped out from beneath them and that sickening feeling of nearly swallowing his own stomach greeted him as he fell.  
  
That was all he could remember before waking up here, in this vibrant city, with these joyful creatures...skeleton creatures, all dancing and singing and tapping their toes as they moved along.    
  
"It's the afterlife." Arlene fell back with the both of them and explained for the dozenth time.  He certainly couldn't, wouldn't believe it.  He had tested his own heartbeat a dozen times that dozen times she had insisted on it before.  "No, you idiot, you're not dead.  We're just dropping in for a visit." She finished with a carefree shrug.  
  
Even looked back at the entire assembled party, gagging their reactions, knowing they reflected his own: dumbfounded and idiotically silent.  
  
The world that they found themselves in was a sprawling Victorian cityscape, with deep shades of purple and brown for shadows, vibrant pinks and greens lighting up the inner workings of each building they passed. Yet, it wasn't singularly one culture, no, there were so many mixes of religious statuettes, so many housing and painting styles.  It was continually night time, but that only seemed to bring joy to the creatures as they danced beneath the glowing crescent moon and the pinprick stars which lit the sky with a brilliance that far exceeded Even's wildest expectations.  
  
"The afterlife?" Lumaria repeated slowly, eying a nearby passing skeleton in a military uniform as he pulled a sword from his torso and proceeded to cut up the drumstick of a chicken with it.  "How is that even possible?  We would need to be dead."  
  
"Not really." Arlene sighed, her expression clearly lamenting how stupid men could be. "Not in this world, anyway.  Man, if you're impressed with these parties, you should see what's going in Mexico.  I'm half tempted to take everyone." She gave them a wide grin.  "Frankly, I've really just done you a favor.  You all look much better in these new duds." She sparkled as she spun around, letting the tassels of her short skirt catch the moonlight.  She looked like a flapper girl, Even reflected with a touch of confusion.  How was that even possible?  This was supposed to be...Victorian...?  Then again, looking down at his own new costume, his neon blue and black pinstripe could have walked from a fever dream gangster movie as well.  
  
Aeleus paled just a bit, watching as a mother with green skin walked by with a baby carriage. "You mean, all these people are dead?"  
  
"That's the gist of it."    
  
He cleared his throat and edged rather protectively towards Ienzo, who in his own black and silver suit, tried his best to look bored.  He was failing, for once, as his eyes jumped from inhabitant to inhabitant, hungrily taking in details when he thought no one was watching him.   
  
Arlene traipsed along, looking happier than Even had seen her in...well, ever. He had to admit, there was a certain air of jubilation here that he simply had not quite witnessed to date. These creatures, dead as they may have seemed, were more alive than anyone up above. "I'm not completely dismissing the idea." Even articulated carefully, "But I'm not agreeing with it either, truth be told."  
  
"Frankly, it looks a great deal like the story of the Corpse Bride." Ienzo piped in, without warning, as though the thought had flicked on like a light. "The old Victorian story of the bride who was swindled out of her jewels and left to be killed by the town's edge by her supposed lover."  
  
"Sounds like a Victorian story, alright." Even sniffed.  
  
"Well, you're on point for once, nerd." Arlene laughed. "Those stupid storybooks did come in useful."  
  
"The Corpse Bride is around here, actually.  Probably waiting to drag an unwilling suitor down to the depths of the afterlife."  Arlene continued, a wicked grin on her features as she crooked a finger at the group.  
  
"Are you serious?" Lumaria asked, looking around him as though she might make her debut at any second.  
  
"No...well, yes.  Kind of." She answered with another easy shrug.  "She'll do it every few years or so by accident, thinking she's found 'true love' once again, but really they'll just end up partying all night until she learns she's got the wrong laddie.  Bonejangles has to drag them back up to the world of the living, and when I say 'drag', I definitely mean it.  Nobody wants to leave the party of the Afterlife." She paused a moment to gesture grandly to the entire street. "If you haven't noticed, it's fucking awesome here."   
  
A young skeleton laughed as he ran by with his friend's bony skull in his grasp, easily evading the blinded skeleton body which sprinted after him in hot pursuit.  Jazz music floated in the air through the open windows of the pub as a ghost warbled on the makeshift stage in the front. A passing zombie inquired politely about if they knew if there were any quality vegetarian facilities around (Aeleus shrugged in response).  
  
Ienzo was instantly a fan of the afterlife.  
  
He stepped quickly past Lumaria and up to where Even was walking, jotting down notes in his journal as he went."How long can we afford to stay here?" He asked softly, tearing the academic's attention away from his studies for a mere second.  
  
"It's not how long we can afford to stay, but rather how long we can stay before the darkness finds us.  We don't want it to harm any of these p-..." He cut himself off, looking on as an Egyptian mummy was taking great lengths to compliment a banshee in a nearby park.  He gestured vaguely, still not knowing how to classify them.  
  
"How long do you assess that will be?" Ienzo pressed.  
  
"It could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days." Even clicked his tongue in annoyance. "But really, it is not ever wise to linger, considering our circumstances." He shivered at the thought of Xaldin lunging at them, lances drawn and ready for battle.  
  
"Could we stay for a few days then?" Ienzo continued onward, undaunted.  
  
"Ienzo," Even scolded finally, knowing exactly where this conversation was going. The nymph and assassin may not be too acquainted with Ienzo's love for the morbid and creepy, but Even was well aware of the fact that when he was a child, he would frequently ask how many days were left until Halloween when it was February.  "We will stay for as long as we can.  No more, no less." He shot the young man a sidelong glance.  
  
And tried to pretend that he was not being swayed by the rather innocent looking eyes looking straight back at him.  
  
"Alright." Ienzo conceded sullenly, drifting back to walk with Aeleus again, looking depressing.  Aeleus had to bite back a chuckle.  Some things never changed. Even looked miffed and rigid, but he knew that they would, most likely, be staying the majority of the week if Even's able to manage it.  
  
"To be entirely honest, it's not the best of ideas to stay around here for too long anyway." Lumaria added, not hiding the fact that she had overheard their conversation.  "We're living, so sticking around in the land of the dead might not be smartest of ideas."   
  
"You got it." Arlene quipped in response.  "They're low on provisions for the living here, if you catch my drift, and even lower on comprehension." She continued, rubbing her eyes protectively as she watched a bright green worm crawl slip from the socket of a passerby's eyeball.  "Chances are, they'll forget that we're not rotting and try to get us involved in 'Skull Soccer'.  Best to keep this visit pretty short."   
  
"Duly noted." Even said as he gave whatever thought he had been writing down a crisp jab of a period before snapping his book closed.  "So, where are you taking us then?"  
  
"To the only good place to get a drink around here, being living with flesh and blood and whatnot." Arlene responded purposefully, the tassels of her dress swinging merrily as she stepped along. "Skull and Crossbones bar. Yes, I know, creative naming, but it's the best music in town.  Bone Daddy's owns it, and they say that he knows Skellington."   
  
The rest of the party exchanged confused glances.  
  
"Trust me on this.  I can even ask if my Grandma Elizabeth is around.  Guarantee you, if she's in town, she causing a fuss there." Arlene said with a fond laugh.  
  
\-----  
  
The bar was dark, damp, dingy, but no one could tell through the thrumming of lively music.  Jazz was the name of the game, and everyone seemed to have their own specialty when it came to playing it.  It swayed, sang, and danced.  It lit the room, and the faces of all those present.  It made drinks taste sweeter, creatures seem more approachable, and generally filled the atmosphere with something so intangible that it took Ienzo a moment before he could truly name it.    
  
It was 'fun'.  Being dead, apparently, was quite fun.  
  
Going by the fact that he had lacked any of this 'fun' when he had his heart torn from him as a child, he had to assume that perhaps he had died incorrectly.  
  
Going by the fact that he had lacked any of this 'fun' when he had his heart torn from him as a child, he had to assume that perhaps he had died incorrectly.  Next time, he would make sure he would make it to the Skull and Crossbones.  Arlene had been welcomed in like an old hero.  Fond, skeletal pats on the back, rowdy jokes yelled from across the room and even a round of drinks for free.  "This one's on me, ." The rasping voice of the barkeep justified, handing off what could only be radioactive fluid in martini glasses.  "You living folk are particular.  Had to be careful with these."  Ienzo had the odd impression that, had BoneDaddy the ability, he would have definitely been winking at them.    
  
Somehow he found this to be morbidly adorable.  
  
Even nodded his thanks at the skeleton and took his drink, sniffing it experimentally. "Whatever this is, it has lots of vodka and not much of anything else." He turn to Ienzo, continuing in undertones. "Keep yourself sharp.  I haven't been able to sense the darkness around us before, and it will be even harder here now that we're surrounded by..." He gestured wordlessly to a zombie who was poking a plated brain politely with a fork, napkin positioned immaculately on it’s lap, looking for the right place to begin it’s meal. "Well, you get it."   
  
"Of course." Ienzo replied, barely holding back a smile as he sipped his drink.  Aeleus lingered in worried silence.  Lumaria was eying the three of them over his martini glass, feeling much like a guest in the house of an extremely dysfunctional family on the verge of a confusing and entertaining argument.   
  
Arlene had already finished her drink, which was a surprise to absolutely no one.  An entire crowd of werewolves were laughing uproariously as she hoisted herself up on to one of their tables and started to do the Charleston.  The limelight was, apparently, made for her in this era, and granted, she did look rather smashing in a tasseled dress as it glittered from side to side with her motions.  
  
Lumaria eyed his drink warily, wondering why fate had brought him back, yet again, to a bar with a disgruntled scientist...and company.  Even's drink, of course, was entirely forgotten as the man observed his surroundings with the keen eye of someone who intended to know every detail for every being to ever exist in every world.  The Assassin moved over to stand nearby, sipping casually. "So, do you intend on recreating these little beasties as well?" He interrupted casually.  
  
After the perfunctory startled gasp, Even turned to face him, somewhere between fed up and exasperated, apparently not feeling the need to reprimand him this time around for the usual unwarranted surprise. "No, of course not."  He huffed. "But they're fascinating.  An entire world lurking just beneath the surface of the expected?  And not to mention how very lively the land of the dead actually is.  These are the sorts of things that science is made for.  That is, among pretty much everything else too." He said with a note of pride.  
  
"Is that so?" Lumaria replied with a curious tilt of the head.  
  
Even looked at him directly, perplexed and unnerved by the questioning, but perhaps it was rather lucky that Arlene chose that moment to burst back into the party.  "No luck, Gents. It turns out Grandma Liz has taken herself to Mexico for the biggest party in town with the beautiful La Muerte, herself. We won't be seeing the likes of her until someone pries the tequila glass from her bony fingers." Arlene laughed.  "Not that the booze would do her much good, mind you." She ran her fingers across her neck and stuck out her tongue.  Ienzo laughed far too loudly.  Aeleus shifted uncomfortably and tried not to make eye contact with anyone around...rather, eye socket contact.  
  
"Well, I suppose we should get a good look at the area to check for any infiltrating darkness while we are here." Even thought aloud.  
  
"Just when the music is picking up?" Lumaria said with a sly grin, as he took Arlene's hand and spun her gracefully, sending the tassels of her dress to swing about with her form in a flurry of neon sparkles.  She pulled away as though burned, the shadow of a grimace on her face before she caught herself and gave him a mischievous grin. "Oh, Luma-dear, you know I prefer to get all of the attention to myself.”  And with that she struck an alluring pose that sent the crowds of bar-goers into whoops and cheers.  She smiled widely, clearly delighted.  
  
Even cleared his throat with a tinge of annoyance, glaring at the graceful assassin. "As I was saying, we need to get a feel for this territory.  I propose we scout the perimeter."  
  
Ienzo looked up to Aeleus, surprise to find him troubled.  The large man glanced at Arlene, then back to the prodigy.  Perhaps it was feat of their relationship, or their past, or just mind-reading at it’s finest, but Ienzo knew without even trying what the silent guardian meant, his thought process, his plans.  It seemed all too fluid to him.  
  
"I'll take the south side.  And, I prefer to go alone.  I'll get far more done that way and this world needs to be studied fully and completely." Ienzo stated, and the enthralled look he gave the rest of the party gave little room for questioning.    
  
Aeleus cleared his throat uncomfortably before glancing down at the shortest, most gaudily dressed companion.  “I’ll take watch with Arlene, in that case.”  
  
She grinned in response. “Finally warming up to me, big guy?” She cooed, winking at him and making a lewd motion with her hands that made Aeleus instantly regret his decision.  He could almost hear Ienzo rolling his eyes at the entire proceedings.  
  
“That leaves Even and I.” There was a smile in Lumaria’s voice that wasn’t showing on his lips. Clearly pleased with himself, Even thought with a growing sense of foreboding in the pit of his stomach.  He had no idea what the man could possibly be pleased with, but it certainly wasn’t helping with his blood pressure.  Even crossed his arms indignantly, shooting a questioning look to Aeleus but then thinking better of it.  The man had wisdom in droves.  If he wanted to keep watch with Arlene, there was certainly a reason (perhaps to keep watch on her in particular after that tombstone stunt).  Even didn’t notice that Lumaria was shooting the goliath man a rather threatening glare of his own.  
  
“Understood.” Ienzo interrupted, bringing all present back to the conversation. “Then we should be going.” As far as Ienzo was concerned, the quicker they got a feel for the world, the quicker they could return to the bar and start enjoying it.  Ienzo suspected that he could talk to skeletons all day, if need be.  Unfortunately, he got the distinct impression that Aeleus did not share his enthusiasm, yet regardless, he was holding up splendidly among all of this happy horror.  Ienzo made his way to the door, giving the party an expectant glance from over his shoulder.  
  
“I suppose we should be taking north and west as well?”  Even questioned, moreso as a confirmation to both himself and the other duo.  “We will rejoin shortly.” Aeleus nodded at his retreating back as the jittery, paranoid scientist was followed along by the impossibly graceful motions of the assassin.  
  
“So, just you an me, hm?” Aeleus didn’t have to look down at Arlene to know that she was waggling her eyebrows at him.  He set his glass aside at the bar and thanked the bartender softly for his hospitality.  His words were, most likely, lost within the commotion of the bar itself, but at least he had tried.  Aeleus headed for the door now in measured steps, followed closely by Arlene at his heels.  
  
Even locked eyes with Lumaria.  With only the two of them left, it was clear that they were meant to take the last section of their recon mission.  Lumaria looked rather pleased with himself.  Even tried his hardest not to feel the exact same way.  
  
\-----  
  
“So, is this what you thought death would be like?”  
  
Even had to pull himself away from the spectacle of watching a giant slug sliding through an intersection to his right, leaving a trail of Darkness-knew-what.  He shook his head, as though to reawaken himself and set his thoughts in motion.  “Wu-what?” He replied astutely.  
  
“Death.” Lumaria replied, picking the topic back up easily as literally everything around them was a reminder.  “What do you think about Death?”  
  
“Well, I certainly hadn’t imagined a party of this magnitude.” Even smiled widely at his own joke, and despite himself, Lumaria found that he was wearing a grin as well.  Yet, the silence that fell after the statement was far from comforting as their minds drifted far beyond what one might have considered ‘polite conversation’.  
  
“Nothing, I suppose.” Even finally admitted, his voice clipped, yet not quite annoyed, just clinical.  “Only the slow and grueling process of the body breaking down thereafter.”  Even didn’t meet Lumaria’s eyes, choosing to jot down a note or two as though the fact were nothing more than just that, an unchangeable reality.  
  
And, in essence, it really was.  Lumaria was not comforted by this fact any more than Even, to be entirely honest.  “And what about the soul?”   
  
Even’s smile returned, but this time it wasn’t the same wide grin that accompanied terrible jokes. This smile was small, sad, and more than slightly confused. “You know, had you asked me this about ten years ago, I would have laughed in your face, called you a fool and a romantic.” And with a little chuckle to himself he shook his head slowly and ran a hand through his hair in a way that seemed all too familiar to him. “But I stand corrected.  It cannot be measured and thus science typically scoffs at the notion but,” He paused in their movement forward and extended his hand, placing it delicately at Lumaria’s heart.  “The soul, existing as it does between the mind and whatever a ‘heart’ truly is, serves as the reminder of our limitations.”   
  
Lumaria peered at the other man, confused by the sudden contact, and though he did not find it unpleasant, he did find it unexpected.  It sent a rejuvenating chill down his spine until the moment that Even realized himself and drew himself away as though burned. Lumaria shrugged off the sudden response. “Limitations on science?” Lumaria teased.  “Goodness, what has this world come to when you’re admitting to that?”  
  
“You would be surprised.” Vexen replied, chagrined. “There’s a great deal that science cannot know, and anyone who tells you different does not know their limits or their craft nearly well enough.”  He paused, pretending to read something in his notebook, his eyes far too unfocused to even try to actually do so. “Nothing is ever certain.”   
  
Lumaria placed a finger on the notes to tip them backward and allow the assassin a glance. Even’s eyes narrowed dangerously (no one steals his reports, after all) but Lumaria seemed to simply be looking to get his attention. “That’s a depressing thought, isn’t it?” He probed.  
  
“Of course not.” The scientist replied immediately, a shadow of his former self returning. “That means that there will always be information to seek out.  Gives us purpose, I suppose.”  Something within the stoic silence that followed, the assassin felt himself being drawn to conclusions he could not entirely justify, and yet they seemed so very logical, so very much like the man before him.  
  
Vexen had not been afraid of death.  Vexen had never begged for life only to avoid pain of fire. He had not feared defeat and humiliation as Marluxia had. He had feared the loss of his mind, and all of the implications and staggering loss of opportunities that came with it.  Lumaria shivered.  Marluxia’s thirst for power seemed to be more attainable and more understandable a goal now.  Control seemed all too commonplace an endgame.  To seek knowledge for the sake of knowledge?  It was a never-ending obsession.  Self inflicted mental torture.  
  
 “And what of you, Lumaria?  What is death?” Even cut into his thoughts.  
  
Seeing the scientist brought back to his usual ways brought the assassin a hint of comfort, but the following question instantly took it away.  Of course, he should have expected the question in return.  Even, ever curious would definitely want to know his opinions, to file them away in his little books like all of his favorite test subjects.  Lumaria let a breath slowly slide from his lips, peering forward and continuing on his way down the cobblestone streets, reveling in the unnatural glow of the streets and the insects that buzzed about them, lighting their way.  
  
“Reason would tell me I am going to burn in the fiery depths of hell.” He mused softly, his mind’s eye traveling back to the cathedral, it’s tinted, beautifully crafted stained glass windows that painted the floors in every color he could imagine on a sunny day, the cool inviting interior that asked for your hopes, loves and fears and demanded so very much in return for them, a cost he had always been willing to pay for the power it offered him.  
  
“If that is the case, save me a seat.” Even responded, his clipped, sarcastic tone bringing Lumaria back to the present as effectively as if he had clapped him on the back.  He looked over to find Even peering over at him, his expression caught in between understanding and the quirk of a grin.  Yet, there remained a sadness in his eyes which Lumaria could not yet define.  There was something there in the darkness between them, cutting through all of this tension.  For all the history they had accumulated, things seemed peaceful in these busy moments, while skeletons in flapper dresses hustled from bar to bar, while ghoulish children used a slingshot to try to break the lights around them, while lively music poured from every window, every doorway like the chuckle of a cheerful grim reaper.  
  
Even looked to Lumaria, and Lumaria looked back to Even.  In that heartbeat, there seemed to be in agreement.  They both understood one another as if they were-  
  
But, of course, then a giant raging undead, zombie insect plowed on to the scene.  
  
\-------------  
  
No one seemed to know the streets of this underground city better than his current companion, Aeleus thought with a touch of relief.  Although he had no doubt he would have been able to find his way, regardless, it was nice to have a guide when he was literally surrounded by the living dead.  Arlene seemed more than willing to take a walk, somewhat freed by the change of scenery, her dress glittering in the deep, verdant green hues of the sourceless light around them, he heels clacking jovially on the cobblestones of the winding streets.  
  
"You seem tense, big guy.  What's the matter?" She asked after a bit of time passed and they seemed to fall into the usual comfortable silence which Aeleus exuded, seemingly at all times.  For once, her comments seemed fairly genuine and completely removed from her usual playful flirting or snide tones.   
  
Aeleus gave a small shake of the head. "I'm not used to talking to dead people, or wearing pinstripes." He replied softly, looking down at the get-up that the computer system had seen fit to dress him in.  "I feel like I'm supposed to be bludgeoning some unlucky punk over a drug deal." He gave a small chuckle, which was nothing compared to the fit of giggles which Arlene erupted into.  
  
"Was that a joke, stone face?"  
  
"You'd be surprised."  
  
"I already am." Arlene agreed, her features settling into a smile, her eyes still quite far away.  
  
The silence returned.  They continued on their way, turning here or there, or wherever Arlene dictated that they do so.  
  
"So, are you pissed?" Aeleus, for once, broke in.  Arlene quirked a brow at him as he looked down at her with an expression as if this were the most obvious question he could have possibly asked.  "At Lumaria.  Are you pissed at him?"  
  
She looked away, but didn't even break stride. "No.  Why would I be pissed at him?"  
  
"Because he's acting like a twat."  
  
Again, Arlene erupted into laughter, but this time Aeleus did not join her.  He was watching the young woman closely and carefully, an expression akin to concern on his features, if anyone would even bother to see them at his height.  
  
"No, no.  Really, it's fine.  It was nothing serious between us anyway.  All just for kicks.  You know how it is, big guy." Little did she know that Aeleus knew exactly how it was, and exactly how much it could hurt when one was shrugged away, when a physical action is assumed to be something far less meaningful than one truly meant.  Aeleus stopped and waited for her heels to stop their own clacking in response.  
  
"Did you love him?"  
  
"No, of course not.  That's so stupid."  
  
Her arms reached herself as she folded them in front of her, still not quite able to turn around.   
  
Aeleus broke the silence one more time. "Did you love him?" he repeated.  
  
She took a moment to answer, but when she did, it was that broken sound to her voice that spoke far louder than anything she could have said. "I'm so fucking stupid." She trailed off, the tightness of her voice preventing her from continuing, when a hiccup and a sob so large it seemed to come from the tips of her heels to the tip of her nose erupted from the small woman.  
  
He let her stand there for just a shadow of a moment, as though in doubt of his actions, before stepping forward.  He knew though, beyond a shadow of a doubt that if he pointed out her tears, she may never forgive him for it.  And frankly, Aeleus was simply not the type to do such a thing.  He placed a comforting hand on her back and let her drain her emotions out of her system.  
  
"You're not stupid."  
  
She snorted in sarcasm, not believing a word of it.  
  
"He's an asshole."   
  
She laughed weakly at this and nodded.  "You can't blame him though.  He didn't know."   
  
"I can blame him if I want to." Aeleus said with a half shrug. "It doesn't have to be completely logical.  Complete lack of chivalry and honor."   
  
Arlene gave a jittery shrug.  “At least the sex was good.”   
  
The both paused.  Arlene gave another shudder before quickly wiping the tears away from her cheeks in an effort to compose herself.  She finally turned around to look at Aeleus.  Her eyes, for the first time, were shining with an unsaid question, wordlessly looking for reassurance, forgetting how to form the question as her lip quivered.  Thankfully, she didn’t have to flounder for long.  Aeleus stooped down and gave her a tight, protective hug and patted her shoulder as he pulled away to speak.  
  
“You look fantastic. Fiercer than ever.  You’re going to be alright, trust me.” Aeleus smiled fondly down at her.  And it occurred to Arlene, that for the first time in her life she might be able to trust someone enough to call them her ‘brother’. Or, perhaps ‘Big Bro’ would be the more apt term.  Aeleus was just that kinda guy, wasn’t he?  
  
She half smiled back up at him, a ghost of her former snide voice creeping in behind the stuffed nose which still lingered from her outburst. “And how about you, big guy?”  
  
“I’m a complicated case.” Aeleus chuckled, ushering Arlene forward.  The nymph sighed knowingly as they both made their way down the street.  It would have made for a beautiful ending, them walking off down the jazz filled streets of the lively land of the dead, finally finding some sort of understanding with one another in the brotherly bond they were forming.  
  
That is, of course, had it not been for the gargantuan, undead, zombie insect which charged at them from behind.  It was followed by a rather murderous looking Lumaria and a shrieking Even, both looking harassed with weapons drawn.  
  
\-----  
  
Aeleus drew out his weapon and considered for a brief moment that it would look far better if he had a machine gun or a lead pipe or some other 'gangster' weapon to match his chosen pinstriped look.  Shaking away the ridiculous thought, he charged forward to attack.  The bug itself darted away, surprisingly agile for an undead organism, but not nearly quick enough to avoid the flying sting of several kunai flying from somewhere behind the guardian.  With a knowing smile, he certainly didn't need to glance back to sense that Arlene had already taken up a battle stance.  
  
Quite suddenly, he felt himself strengthened, as though protections had been added to his very body.  Looking around, he saw Even, gaining a bit of ground from the battle and casting spells in a low, melodic voice.  Status enhancements, he realized rather fondly.  Lumaria darted in, moving faster than Aeleus had thought possible of the man, but still managing to only cut at a few of the monster's legs, slowing it down but not nearly killing it. They were quite a well rounded fighting party, yet they were still missing one more...  
  
Without warning, the entire area was plunged into a thick, cold darkness that settled like a wet blanked over the entire assembly.  Aeleus stopped dead in his tracks, recognizing the attack immediately, waiting silently as Even shrieked in surprise to his left.    
  
"Now." Murmured a voice in his ear which he found all too comfortingly familiar. The darkness receded in a heartbeat of a moment and Aeleus brought his weapon crashing down on the surprised enemy with staggering force.  It split in two, falling pathetically at the party's feet, only a few rather sad leg twitches remained.    
  
Ienzo dropped down from the awning of a nearby, brightly colored shop. He brushed off his suit jacket and made his way over to rejoin them.   
  
"Nice of you to drop in." Arlene teased.  
  
Ienzo shrugged. "I was following them the entire time." He gestured to a dumbfounded looking Even and Lumaria, then turned to give them an innocent grin.  "I was worried, and for good reason it seems!"  Lumaria muttered something under his breath that sounded uncharacteristically like 'bullshit'.  Yet, as surprised as Even was by the sudden revelation, he did not seem overly upset.  He was far too distracted by the display before him.  
  
"It's nonliving." He whispered, stooping down to be eye level with the body.  
  
"It's dead, Even." Arlene pointed out bluntly.  
  
"No, it's a machine." He hissed, and to the horror of all those present, he carefully reached his fingers delicately into the monster's wound and pulled it wide open.  Arlene made a wrenching noise, but quickly fell into silence at the display before her.  
  
Gears, cords, wires, and lights were arrayed, all steaming and dripping with oil as though it was thick, goopy, black blood.  Even's eyebrows furrowed as he pushed his hair back with his wrist (his hands now covered in oil) and looked closely.  "It's rather advanced." He muttered to himself. "But not untracable.  We should take it with-"  
  
But before he could even finish his statement, it burst into flames before his very eyes.  Even cried out in alarm, falling back and pushing himself away, watching as their enemy, their newest darkness, slipped right through their fingertips.  
  



	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The recent attack has left the entire party feeling a bit overwhelmed. What's the best way to distract from stress? Food, of course!

The trek back up from the land of the dead had been rather simple with Arlene as their guide.  She took them back to the hilltop in which they had dropped from.  Hidden there on the edge of town, thick, brightly colored brambles and bushes hid a weathered oaken door.  An aged set of stone stairs were hidden behind it.  She gestured to the entrance, acting as a doorman of sorts as she waited for all of them to pass by, looking forlornly at the cityscape below them before entering herself and shutting it neatly behind her.  
  
They had yet to say a word since the attack of the mechanical, zombie insect, which sounded even more ridiculous as Ienzo thought back on it.  There were hundreds of things which made  more sense than being attacked by a robot zombie insect.  To be attacked by darkness, for one.  To be attacked by any of their former enemies from when they had simply be vessels was another easy possibility.  To be attacked by some random shoddy robot? And on top of that, one which seemed to be defeated so easily, but had the good graces to attack when they had all seemed to be separated.  It had the ability (or perhaps the code) to perform tactical operations, but not battle-savvy ones.  
  
"What are we supposed to make of this?"  Ienzo's voice was annoyed as it snapped through the silence and the sound of their footsteps which thumped softly on the stone staircase.  It was almost comical, the way that Ienzo, Arlene and Lumaria looked to Even and Aeleus, their faces holding a shade of expectation.    
  
Aeleus shook his head slowly in response, as if expecting this. It seemed only logical that, out of this party, himself and Even would be the most experienced when it came to...well...the downright weird. "I have no idea." He admitted, watching their faces falter.  
  
Even stood in the eerie light of the underworld, silent for once, his eyebrows knit as his mind moved at a pace to which his mouth simply could not catch up.  It took him a moment to realize that he had acquired an audience.  Snapping from his reverie, he looked at them directly and shook his head as well.  "I've never quite seen anything like this before."  
  
"Well, it definitely wasn't 'native' to this place before we got here." Arlene muttered, looking dismayed.  The clacking of the beads on her dress were no longer joyful or cheery as she led onward.  Her pensive silence was tempered with an innate anger.  She seemed just about ready to snap, yet confused as to who to do it at.  It only seemed logical, Ienzo reflected.  This is her playground and more of a home than any other land, after all.  
  
Upon reaching the top, Ienzo spotted that Even seemed just a touch winded and was surprised to find himself similarly spent.  Had he not noticed how many stairs they had just climbed, and to his surprise in looking back down again, he found that the sprawling spiral descended into an unending darkness. Looking all around him, it was almost as if the world had become slightly unfocused and fazed. It was as if a painter had become exhausted, had stopped caring about the fine details and simply wanted to move along.  
  
"Don't think too hard about it.  We're really not meant to know." Arlene answered before Ienzo could even think of the words to his question.  She took him by the arm and tugged him onward, opening a similar looking door which had all but appeared conveniently behind them.  The vibrant, glowing light seemed unreal from Ienzo's vantage point at the top of their ascent.    
  
"Let's go, guys." Arlene persisted, hefting open the door.  It's heavy creak brought Aeleus, Even and Lumaria back with a start, as though awakening from a particularly poignant dream.   
  
Aeleus scratched the back of his neck, his brow furrowed as though he were trying to find something to ground himself in reality.  “I agree.” He murmured, taking Ienzo’s arm gently to get his attention and finding the young man returning his touch with an unfocused, blank stare. He stood, refusing to move for a moment that seemed to last in suspension between them forever.  
  
“I don’t want to-” Ienzo began softly, but cut off, seeming to forget his words as Even took him by the other arm and began to pull him towards the door.  
  
Arlene shook her head knowingly.  “Trust me, no one ever wants to go back to the real world.” She sighed.  She could almost smell the boredom coming from just across the threshold.  Lumaria stepped through, pensively quiet as he watched Aeleus and Even pull Ienzo gently from the confines of their exit route.  Ienzo didn’t struggle, and to his credit, he didn’t cry out and whine like most did on their first time being entranced with the afterlife.  After taking a deep breath of the crisp, fresh, living air, he felt the color drain from his system.  As the entire party exited into the land of the living, the only thing that seemed to linger in their minds, aside from the lingering worry of the unknown, was exactly how much they wished to see a skeleton dancing down the street.  Wordlessly, they began walking back to the ship, shifting uncomfortably in their stuffy victorian gear, wishing that their pinstriped gangster suits would just go ahead and return to them already.  They might have even been willing to face off against those terribly sour bar drinks again from Bonejangles for a chance to return.  
  
So much for partying in Mexico with Grandmother Elizabeth.  
  
\-----  
  
The pensive silence frayed around the edges as they boarded the ship. Lumaria had meant to take note of how their clothing had managed to change between the time that they had been off of the ship and then back on, but he found himself staring back at his original garments and none the wiser as to how the ship’s technology had gotten it to be thus.  With a sigh, he watched as Arlene took a deep breath, being relieved of the confines of her corset and enjoying her technology-given freedom.  With a small, relaxed smile, she moved fluidly over to her seat in the shining bronze interior of the control room.  She was the picture of grace and ease, sitting down with a lady-like air to which Even couldn’t help but give a nod of approval.  She was up to something and  Lumaria couldn’t keep the smile from his face, knowing exactly what was coming next.  
  
“I’m fucking starving.” She proclaimed, smacking her stomach.  “Does this thing have a menu or do I need to try to order out from across the entire galaxy?”   
  
Even looked dumbfounded.  He still didn’t seem to comprehend Arlene’s logic, but interestingly enough to Lumaria, Aeleus did.  He stifled a laugh behind a cough and turned his attention to the opposite side of the room as though it were rather intriguing quite suddenly.  Ienzo shot him a glance that didn’t leave much room for seeing the humor in this situation.  
  
“What do you think, woman?” Even snapped. “My masterpiece can create disguises, regulate atmospheres, and travel between worlds.  Did you really think I would leave out the cuisine?” Even sighed in exasperation and clapped twice (quite daintily, Lumaria noted). A rather flourescent looking screen dropped from the ceiling eagerly, as though the ship were all too excited for the prospect of feeding the occupants.  “So, what do all of you want?” Even asked, withdrawing a rather sleek looking stylus to write on his new screen with.  
  
A pause followed.  Everyone looked around with the slightly blindsided expression of someone who obviously wants to speak first, but at the same time, doesn’t.  To be honest, it was a rather low-stakes stand-off.  And, as always happens with menus, they all spoke at once.  
  
“A salad with-”  
  
“I want a BURGER-”  
  
“Could I please have steak-”  
  
“How is the food stored and-”  
  
“SILENCE!” Even yelled, glaring back at the party, then snapping his attention back to the screen and muttering about ‘loudness’ and ‘idiots’ and 'lack of propriety' for a moment before he took a deep breath and began.  
  
“Aeleus will want the steak and potatoes with steamed vegetables.  Understandably.” He started, tapping on part of the screen, not even needing to look and see Aeleus giving an appreciative nod. “Ienzo will want a spinach salad with as much ranch dressing as humanly possible.” Another click. He moved on to, “Arlene will want a cheeseburger with fries-”  
  
“And onion rings.” She added.  
  
“And onion rings.” Even repeated, giving the screen another click.  
  
“And ice cream.”  
  
“And ice cream.” Even repeated, a twitch of annoyance developing in his eye as he clicked once again.  
  
“An ice cream for me as well.” Ienzo said with a small smile, ignoring Aeleus’s huff of disapproval.  
  
“Two ice creams.” Even hissed, clicking several times to correct the order.  
  
“And a root beer.” Arlene added.  “It’s not a burger and fries without a root beer.”  
  
“And a root beer.” Even confirmed through gritted teeth.  
  
“I want a sweet tea.” Ienzo piped in.  
  
“One sweet tea-”  
  
“With lemon!”  
  
“ALRIGHT, ENOUGH!  One sweet tea with lemon!” Even exploded. “That’s it!  That’s the final order.  If you want more, we can get it later, understood?”  
  
Aeleus, Ienzo and Arlene gave Even a rather satisfied look.  Perhaps Ienzo looked the most satisfied, being that he didn’t even really like sweet tea, but anything was worth seeing Even having a mental breakdown over food preparation. A flurry of clicks later, the computer screen turned from blue to green, a clear approval.   
  
It was another one of those lightning quick moments that Lumaria's eye nearly missed, but several disk like plates floated (yes, floated) out from a rather smart looking metal slot right beside Even, as though pandering to their master and showing off.  Each plate had a rather underwhelming looking cube of a dull, unnamable gray hue. Even gestured for them all to come over.  "Pop these in the microwave downstairs in the galley.  You won't be disappointed, trust me."  
  
"Where have I heard this before?" Ienzo waxed poetic, as Aeleus gave his plate a rather defeated look.  "Oh yes, whenever you have to cook anything.  Whatsoever."  
  
"I didn't cook it." Even replied with a clever grin.  "The computer did, and that means that Tifa is behind the recipe."  
  
There was a pause in which the party looked at their plates, giving them a harsh scrutiny before Aeleus (apparently hungry enough at this point) conceded.  Tifa's cooking was not one to be trifled with, after all, and if science could promise him that, maybe it wasn't quite as untrustworthy as he had first assumed.  He turned and made his way down the somewhat cramped hallway, followed by Ienzo and Arlene who struggled to carry their multiple platters for their rather extensive orders (and cubes).  
  
Lumaria watched their retreating backs, giving them a precautionary moment to make sure they really had entered the other part of the ship before turning back to Even, who seemed about to slide the screen away when he cut in.  "Aren't you forgetting about someone?"  
  
Even jumped, and with a groan, he turned once again to his companion, looking exhausted, as though he should have seen that coming a mile away.  Running a frustrated hand through his hair, he conceded. "My apologies.  You're probably famished as well.  You would like...?" He withdrew the stylus once more and gave Lumaria a rather guilelessly expectant glance.  
  
"Whatever you're having." He replied, watching him unblinkingly.    
  
"O-kay." Even drawled, his light eyebrows shooting up to his hairline as he turned himself to the screen, stylus poised in hand, just about ready to order extra coffee, a shot of espresso and an entire platter of cookies.  Lumaria snatched the stylus away and peered around the scrawny scientist to get a good look at his options.  After a moment of Even’s indignant snips, demanding to know what he was doing, he couldn't help but smile as he placed two orders for-  
  
"Noodles?"  Even questioned, quirking a brow at him.  
  
"Pasta." Lumaria corrected fluidly, "And if it's made anything like how Tifa cooks,  it will be a perfect al dente."  
  
"To the teeth?" Even translated, his expression only growing more perplexed.  
  
"Just trust me.  You'll love it.  It's something far more substantial that coffee or breakfast cereal or cookies." Even seemed just about ready to protest and the Lumaria continued before he had a chance. "I've seen your labs.  Don't try to hide your diet, or therefore lack of.  I had thought Ienzo was joking about it, but you really do cook ramen on your Bunsen burners."  
  
That seemed to take the air out of Even's sails fairly quickly.  He snapped his mouth shut, muttering something about it "saving on valuable time and energy".  The computer gave a quick ding to signify that their delicious 'cubes' were done, but rather than the floating disks carrying out the substitute for food, they appeared before them, fully laden with steaming golden pasta, dripping with vibrant red tomato sauce, laden with far too many meatballs to feed just one person.  It looked superb.  It smelled like home.  He could only imagine it tasted even better when shared.  
  
"You know," Even began, smiling as he eagerly took his own portion and settled down on his seat with a practiced ease. "Most Italian food really isn't based around noodles at all, contrary to popular belief.  Depending on the region, it usually consists of a hearty protein portion, followed up with a secondary soup or salad and a side portion of a carbohydrate which may or may not be pasta.  They're really rather fond of bread."  
  
"Why did the others get..." Lumaria wondered aloud, trailing as he picked up his own plate.  Even's smile seemed to widen at this.  
  
"The captain of the ship gets special treatment." He admitted proudly, and taking out his knife, he began to slice away at his noodles without a care in the world.  
  
Lumaria could have screamed in anguish.  
  
Instead he settled for lunging for the scientist's hand, holding it in place as though he had committed some sort of deadly crime, and the only thing standing between the scientist and his own humanity was the man before him, holding that knife away from that beautiful pasta.  Even nearly upset the plate all over his front in his shock.  He looked just about ready to screech in protest when he saw the deadly serious look on Lumaria’s face.  The words immediately died on his lips.  
  
“We’re going to pretend that I never saw you do that.” He whispered, his lips barely moving.  
  
“Eating nood-...pasta?” Even dared to question, his eyes wide with apprehension.  
  
Lumaria shook his head slowly, as though making great efforts to contain himself, the muscles working in his jaw.  Picking up his own fork, he leaned over Even’s plate and took just a few strands of slippery spaghetti, entwining them with the silver prongs of the utensil.  Twirling them deftly between his own fingers,  before picking up the now neatly rolled ball of pasta on the end of his fork.  He held it up to Even’s mouth.  
  
Even was far too caught off guard to even consider being insulted, and frankly, Lumaria seemed quite genuine about his efforts to ‘demonstrate’, but Even couldn’t help but feel that the fork that was now quickly making it’s way towards his lips was just a touch more personal than he was willing to admit to.  
  
Even if they had shared a drink in Tortuga.  
  
The scientist blushed from the tip of nose to the tips of his ears.  He plucked the utensil from Lumaria’s hands with a jittery laugh.  “Oh, ho. A proper way to eat pasta as well?” Even broke the silence nervously, not knowing how to conduct himself with Lumaria leaning over him in such a way.  He hated even more that he could not force his voice to be calm at a time like this.  “One would think that you might be a native.”  
  
Lumaria seemed to catch himself now, far closer to the target than he would have tactically preferred, despite how very inviting the entire situation seemed.  He eased himself back once again and picked up his own plate of food that he hadn’t even realized that he had set aside.  He waited for Even to take a timid bite from the pasta on the fork in his hand before speaking with a slow, easy smile. “Imagine that, accademico.”  
  
\-----  
  
Steaming, wonderful, marvelous, perfect steak.  It had been cooked to perfection, the smell of it filling his senses as though it were a dream.  On the outside it was a deep, rich roasted brown and as he used his steak knife to cut into the meat, oh yes, it was just as he had hoped it would be: cooked to an exquisite state of medium well. He cut out a sizable piece for himself and finally lifting it to his mouth, he-  
  
“So.” Ienzo cut in, seating himself directly next to him and fixing him with a pointed glare with his crystalline blue eyes.  They were unsuited for trying to intimidating, Aeleus decided, snapping his expectant mouth shut politely.  One never ate and spoke at the same time, particularly when one's companion was giving them a death-glare. Ienzo knew that fact quite clearly from the hint of displeasure all but emanating from his small figure.  “Arlene.” He finished stoically, as though that explained absolutely everything.  
  
“She’s fine.” Aeleus nodded, answering in undertones even as he now heard her slurping her root beer from clear across the room.  He looked down at Ienzo, thinking that the young man had been slightly concerned.  He wasn’t incorrect, but Aeleus’s answer didn’t quite seem to placate him.  “She’s very resilient.  This break from Lumaria won’t phase her.”  
  
Ienzo’s frown deepened.  He turned away and toyed with his ranch dressing soup (with several leaves of lettuce), vying to crunch on a few croutons as Aeleus peered down at him, clearly perplexed.  Having trouble sensing what was bothering Ienzo was a rarity for him, to say the least.  
  
“She’s sad at the moment.  Not for long, I don’t think.” He added, thinking he may want additional details from his patrol around the underworld with the young spitfire.   
  
“You think she’s funny.” Ienzo mused, taking a drawn out sip from his tall glass of sweet tea (with lemon, as poignantly specified).  Aeleus paused, wondering where this little observation had arose from, before remembering how he had to stifle a laugh just a short while ago at Arlene’s outburst.  Ienzo’s expression was carefully set to an unreadable degree now.  These were not questions of concern over Arlene’s well being, it seemed, nor ones which involved information gathering.  How very unsettling.  
  
“She’s funny.” Aeleus shrugged, feeling a touch foolish, fork in hand, waiting to eat but now feeling just a bit too unnerved.  He lifted up the piece once again to take a bite of that perfection before him and-  
  
“Funny?” Ienzo snapped, sounding just a touch too familiar, as though he’d heard that tone a thousand times before coming from a certain elder scientist.  “So, she’s funny to you, hm?”  
  
But before Aeleus could even protest, he heard a barely stifled giggle from his opposite side. “Jealous much, kiddo?” Arlene laughed, leaning out over Aeleus’s shoulder to shoot the young scientist a self-satisfied grin. Ienzo glared coldly at her as though she were a particularly large insect that had wandered into the midst of their conversation.  
  
“Of course not.” He huffed, finishing up the last of his ranch soup and shoving his platter away on the table.  “Now, if you’ll both excuse me, there is some light reviewing I must attend to before we reach the next destination.” He pushed himself from his seat and seemed about to speak as he glared down at his two companions.  The words seemed to get stuck in his throat as he fought to free them.  With a noncommittal huff, he turned and smoothly walked away.  To his credit, he seemed far more annoyed than upset.  Of course, Aeleus knew he was upset.  
  
“Yeesh, what a prat.” Arlene shrugged her worries away as easily as she had polished off that order of a burger and fries and onion rings and ice cream.   
  
Aeleus shook his head, pensively looking down at his plate full of delicious, yet now rather lukewarm, steak.  To anyone else, he wouldn’t have wasted his breath on additional words to convince her, but something willed him forward; something between friendship and unease. “He’s not acting like himself.”  
  
Arlene caught herself before she countered with a scathing remark about how ‘she really couldn’t tell’, or ‘maybe he should learn to nut up or shut up’.  She took a rather deep gulp from her root beer and nodded agreeably to the large man.  Even if she didn’t quite understand how Ienzo acted, she certainly did understand the feeling behind it.  
  
\-----  
  
The flight had not been long.  Truth be told, it was almost as though the newest world had snuck up on them from the shadows, lying in wait for the next passer-by to turn their head and reluctantly decide to spend their gold (or time in this case).   
  
They had planted their ship some miles back within the forests that surrounded whatever form of civilization they had passed high above on their way in (from the looks of it, a rather vibrant looking village, but who could really tell from that kind of height?).  Hidden as it was by a sheen of invisibility, (of which Even explained in terms far too long and Ienzo didn’t even try to impart wisdom), Aeleus found himself rather confused as to why these garments seemed to be so strikingly familiar.  Oh yes, he reflected, he had just been wearing something similar to this in the place they had just departed from.  
  
But there was no confusing the old, dreary atmosphere of the last world with the vibrant bronze and fiery red of the setting sun in the distance, over the terra cotta roof tiles that lined the houses somewhere before them setting them all aglow with a welcoming glow. The cobblestones of the pathways through the small village warmed in the dying sunlight.  The town itself seemed to be set upon the very undulating hills of the land, built within them as if they had grown forth from them.  The vibrant sway of the green grass of the outskirts was only interrupted by the occasional thump of a booted foot against the ground as they stepped toward a rather sizable looking tent.  
  
Women in tightly laced corsets and intricate walking skirts (complete with gather bustle neatly on their hind quarters) were led by the supporting arm of their male companions as they neared the gargantuan tent which was set up in the center of the flat, landscape of the valley following the hills of the town.  They chattered in their own native, bouncy language with their companions as they walked along, followed by women and men of a slightly lower variety of class, dressed in crisp, clean clothing, plain from all ornamentation aside from what was absolutely necessary.  
  
Each individual paid at the ticket booth in front.  
  
Familiar, Arlene reflected, but not exactly unexpected.  Although this new world seemed all to easily to fit in with the mindset she had been so very familiar with from her own land.  She took a deep breath of fresh night air and caught a hint of roasted peanuts and popcorn in the air.  Suddenly, her overloaded dinner seemed to be years ago.  She patted her stomach, happy, for once, to be wearing something which was not a dress.    
  
She had demanded, from the dressing systems, that she be given something far more functional to work with in this new victorian era.  Her exact phrasing, as she recalled between the gratuitous cursing about corsets, was “Something that lets me breath, for God’s sake!” In response, and perhaps because of the fear of her rather passionate outburst, the computer (or Even) had seen fit to give her a rather conservative looking suit, which hugged her figure in only the most comfortable of ways.  She ran her fingertips over the well crafted wool fabric, the smartly made seams and had the powerful notion, not for the first time, of ‘Where the hell did his ship come up with this stuff?’  
  
Generally, they were all suited rather well and conservatively, in suits of varyingly modest colors. Even looked at home in a rather dark blue.  Ienzo had settled for a verdant green, Aeleus was garbed in a simple brown suit which, of course, did nothing to hide his size (not that it really needed to be hidden, Arlene thought with a quirk of a smile).  They all seemed to fit in quite nicely aside from one.  
  
Lumaria was resplendent.  He could have been wearing a costume for all they had known.  For some reason, the bright purple brocade of his suit jacket seemed as almost a beacon in the darkness of conservatively dressed individuals.   
  
“Looks like quite a circus.” Arlene observed, watching the crowd of people slowly file into the striped tent as though they had been waiting for an occasion to celebrate for quite some time.  Performers ushered them forward, urging on their excitement with a painted smile and an insane looking outfit as easily as one might breath.  
  
“Yes, indeed.” Even agreed, carefully glancing at the crowds.  Looking back to respond to them, Even cast his glance and paused, mid thought, his eyes locked on a point right beyond Arlene.  She perked, looking back as well.  The sight that met her was not what she had been expecting in the slightest.  It was Lumaria, who had stopped dead in his tracks.  He was staring at the rolling hills before him, the glowing town with it’s hospitable feel, the tent which seemed to rise from the very Earth to garner itself attention.  He swallowed heavily.  
  
“Managgia.” He muttered.  
  
Even huffed at him. “Once again, more clearly.” He snipped, thinking he had misheard.  It sounded like it could have been another language, but he couldn’t be sure from Lumaria’s undertones  
  
The assassin in question simply shook his head and wordlessly began making his way toward the tent.   
  
\-----  
  
The language that they had been speaking did not register with Arlene in the slightest, and yet, from an outsider’s perspective, there was a certain bounciness about it that kept her listening long past what would be considered ‘polite’.  Then again, there was very little about her at this moment that was polite.  
  
Lumaria smoothly moved through the crowd with the grace of a ballerina, murmuring a demure “Scusi.” every now and then before he reached the towering entrance to the tent itself.  He pressed onward before the party’s questions caught up with him.  (Particularly Even’s whining tone hissing, “How are you able to speak Italian?” whenever he got close enough for Lumaria to hear).  
  
Italian, hm?  Didn’t seem at all unlike the assassin. The Romans were all conquering and orgies, after all.  Sounded vaguely familiar to her...  
  
If being nearby the tent was anything even close to being impressed, being within it was amazing.  The red and white striped exterior soared above their heads, held by sturdy poles at all along the sides and at intervals within the rows and rows of seats that were in the process of being set up by several rather harassed looking clowns in gaudy bright make-up.  Arlene had noted the flags which waved merrily in the wind above the tent.  They had proclaimed ‘Circo Stromboli’, and for all she knew, that must have made perfect sense to the paying patrons.  
  
A rotund looking man stood in the center of the ring, shouting in a booming voice and directing the placement of several rather intimidatingly large canons to be placed next to a few pristine white hoops (which were certain to be enflamed by the end of the night).  Despite the protests of the clowns, who looked as though they were a few glasses of wine short of being entire sloshed (‘Salute’ to that) Lumaria pressed forward and it was only until he reached the outside edge of the center stage.  He leaned easily to one side and waited for the man in the center to notice.  
  
“Managgia divolo!  Cosa stai facendo?” His booming voice demanded as he neared them, his beady eyes narrowing and glistening in the low light of their enclosure. But as he neared the newcomers, he locked on to the man at the forefront, recognizing the easily guarded expression and fearless arrogance of Lumaria’s stance as easily as one might have recognized an old song.  
  
“Lumaria.” He sighed, shaking his head as though he didn’t believe his eyes.  The red-faced anger faded into something akin to relief. “Lumaria, it’s been too long.  Come stai? Bene?” He replied, his languages as mixed and unsure as the confusion on his round features.  
  
“Bene bene.” Lumaria agreed, a smile spreading across his face despite himself.  
  
“The Great Dancer Lumaria, returning to the center stage, hm?” The man responded, meaty fists on his huge hips as he begun to do a mock, sultry shimmy of his own, guffawing loudly, though it seemed not at Lumaria, but at his own antics.  
  
Arlene sniggered behind a gloved hand.  There was a wicked cunning behind those beady eyes, a bawdiness to his over dramatic motions, but she rather liked that about him.  It gave her the impression that they were already drinking buddies.  Now was the challenge of actually getting drunk (granted, their current companions, that might be quite a challenge).  
  
Lumaria turned to the rest of the crew, nodding for them to approach.  Even stepped timidly forward, giving the rotund man a sidelong glance.  “This is Stromboli.” Lumaria introduced with a fluid gesture.  Stromboli held out his rather sturdy looking hand in greeting, to which Even shook it tentatively.  
  
“What is all this?  How do you know him?” Even murmured, speaking quickly in undertones to his companion.  Lumaria quirked an eyebrow at him in response.  
  
“You mean, you haven’t figured it out quite yet?"  Lumaria chuckled languidly.  "Even, this was once my home.” Even’s mouth hung open in shock as he glanced from Stromboli to Lumaria and then back.  The rotund man roared with laughter, holding his belly as he doubled over.  
  
Finally coming up for air he heaved a breath and wiped a tear away from his eyes.  “Benvenuti in Italia, idioti!”  
  



	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The circus needs a bit of help to get back on it's feet, and who would have thought that the best ones for the job are a crew of rag-tag adventurers?

Ienzo could admit himself vaguely impressed.  
  
While they had seats in the back which offered a somewhat vague view of the proceedings ahead, behind many an audience member and patron, they had seen more than enough to have gotten an idea of what exactly the Circo Stromboli was all about.    
  
Gimmicks.  
  
Ienzo felt he could already recite the show from top to bottom, and, indeed, not even knowing a lick of Italian.  The trapeze artists dangled daringly from the top of the soaring tents.  Several acrobats did cartwheels about the center stage.  A few clowns taunted and teased one another, occasionally becoming so bored, that they abandoned their script altogether and genuinely flung a pie at one another just for the excuse of eating all of the whipped cream filling.  Even the lion yawned in response to it's trainer when it was supposed to be jumping through the flaming hoop. (Could one even call that flaming?  The hoop itself seemed to irately smolder).  
  
Ienzo had always wanted to see a circus performance.  He had read about them time and time again when he was a child in the hundreds of books he had managed to devour.  They lit up every story with enchanting, warm and enticing images of mysterious characters, shocking oddities, and daring feats of human strength, flexibility and precision. When Ienzo looked around him, all he could detect was a mild sense of amusement, but even the bearded woman was zoned out.  
  
After the show had ended and the crowd had finally filed out, Lumaria had led them back up to the center stage, to no surprise, finding Stromboli himself entering the spotlight, surveying the stragglers who were making their way back, shrugging to one another about their thoughts on the performances.   
  
Lumaria gave the rotund man a rather pointed look before venturing a comment.  “The show has become quite-”  
  
“Mia Circo est uno pezzo di merda!” He roared.  Somewhere behind him, Ienzo heard Arlene giggle and it made him want to strangle her.  Then again, that notion had definitely occurred to him even without the annoying giggle.  
  
“He said 'His circus is a piece of shit.'” Even translated unnecessarily.  
  
“I wouldn’t go that far.” Aeleus added politely.  “I thought it was nice.”   
  
“Grazie mille.” Stromboli replied distractedly, running a hand through his course beard. “But, I need something more than ‘nice’ to make more money, capisci?”  Aeleus nodded pensively in agreement.  Stromboli continued, “E miei amici, if you thought this was bad, you should have seen the puppet act.”  
  
The entire party paused, jointly confused but entirely unwilling to ask.  They could only imagine what Stromboli would count as a ‘puppet act’.  
  
Either way, it no longer seemed to matter.  The large Italian was now looking at Lumaria imploringly.  “I’m sure if you were to do a bit of...” He shook his huge hips again, causing Arlene to snort with laughter, and to Ienzo's horror, Aeleus to look away to cover his own involuntary chuckle of amusement.  Ienzo quirked a brow at him, to which he shrugged a single massive shoulder.  
  
Lumaria, on the other hand, was not laughing.  His full mouth was set in a grim line as his eyes narrowed in thought.  Stromboli stopped his gyrating in a matter of seconds and settled back into a fuming silence. Lumaria finally spoke rather carefully.  
  
"Are you serious about that offer?"  
  
Stromboli's eyebrows shot up to his non-existent hairline, and his boisterious answer of 'Ci, ci!" was drowned out by Even's shrieking voice.  
  
"What?" The scientist demanded, butting into the conversation with all the grace of a circus giraffe.  "What are you talking about?  You're taking a job in the middle of our-" He cut off quite suddenly, realizing himself and exactly who was in on their conversation.  He gave the Italian a rather pointed glare before grabbing Lumaria and dragging him rather unceremoniously aside and out of earshot.  
  
"What's the meaning of all this?" He hissed once again. "Why would you ever want to-"   
  
"We're acting as the decoys, are we not?  To my understanding, the entire point of this 'journey' was to buy time for the warriors of light to train by distracting the darkness with unnecessary targets." Lumaria shot back with an astuteness that, by Even's expression he had clearly not been expecting.  The scientist remained stunned and Lumaria took this as a prime opportunity to continue.  "What better way of attracting attention away as a distraction than putting on a show?"  
  
"Not a bad idea..." Ienzo's voice drawled out from somewhere behind Even as he stepped forward.  Aeleus and Arlene were soon to follow,   
  
"Put on a show?" Even repeated, his undertones hinting at disbelief, his eyes unfocused as though trying to imagine it.  
  
"Yes, of course.  We'll all have to find our own roles within the circus.  It will be the ideal place to get a feel for what this new darkness is with all of the crowds lingering around here.  There are surely some dark dealings afoot that will give our new enemies away." Ienzo continued, nodding pensively as he went, a small dark smile growing on his smooth, young features.  Even was still rather blessedly silent as Aeleus nodded his own consent.  
  
"Then it's decided.  We'll join the freak show!" Arlene added with a wicked grin, straightening her top-hat just for the added effect.  
  
"Scusi, principesse!" Stromboli taunted, hearing Arlene's outburst and finally having enough of waiting for them to finish speaking. "I asked Lumaria to join.  He dances so well that even Santa Maria would be tempted to lay with him. I don't know about all of you." He pointed a sausage-like finger to the rest of the party.  "What do all of you do, idioti?"  
  
Arlene shot him a challenging grin and struck a rather provocative pose.  "I think the real question is, fat man, what don't we do?"  
  
There was a pause in which Stromboli let that snide remark sink in before he roared with laughter at her response, already seeming to take a liking to her brash attitude. "Oh, madonna mi," He said breathlessly. "Meet me around back in a hour or so.  Get your acts together and make it good, capiscono?"   
  
*****  
  
In a larger group, Ienzo noticed, it was rather easy to miss the smaller details with so many voices.  When they had walked around the circus camp grounds, the noises and commotion of the performers was enough to distract anyone.  Lumaria was gesturing rather grandly to the larger acts in the circus's show as Arlene watched with fascination and a sense of overwhelming delight at all of the antics, making lewd comments at the rather showy outfits whenever she saw fit to do so.  
  
"I won't do it"  Even's voice was unwavering as he spoke, and yet his eyes were locked on the ground.  The sentence itself was uncharacteristically soft and went largely unnoticed.   
  
Ienzo stopped immediately, turning to give the scientist his attention.  "What was that?"  
  
"I'll be back in the ship. I won't perform." Even still seemed fixated on the ground as he spoke.  If anything his voice had become softer, but as if on cue, it caught Aeleus's attention as well.  He fell back from the boisterous duo as they discussed the finer arts of how to pose dramatically atop an elephant ("It takes a great deal of balance, you see...")  
  
"What do you mean, 'you won't-"  
  
"I mean what I say!" He hissed, and for all the anger in his voice, there was a definite note of fear.  "I cannot perform.  You have your illusions, Aeleus has his strength. Arlene has her precision with knives, Lumaria his dancing." He finished, not sounding bitter or jealous for how obvious all of their talents seemed to be at face value.  There was almost a trepidation which Ienzo was all too familiar with.  "I have nothing to show.  What will I do?  Experiment at them?  I am an academic."  
  
"That's exactly why we need you there!  We need to study the darkness in this world. You can't possibly do that if you're hiding in the ship." Ienzo shot back in a breath of a second, floored by the sheer ludicrous idea of the elder man.  
  
"Idiocy!  I won't do it.  This is ridiculous!" Even sustained, clenching his fists.  “To perform like a bunch of circus monkeys...no offense.” He muttered to a cart of primates as they gestured rudely at him before being rolled away.  
  
"Besides, you do have something." Ienzo said slowly, watching the scientist squirm for a moment, crossing his arms rigidly.  
  
(Somewhere in the background, Lumaria and Arlene noticed that they seemed to have lost half of their traveling party.  Arlene poked Aeleus good naturedly in the side. "What's going on here?" She whispered conspiratorially.  
  
"Argument between the resident academics." Aeleus responded.    
  
She nodded knowingly. "Who's winning?"   
  
"My money is on Ienzo, but it's anyone's game right now.")  
  
"What are you-...oh, no.  Don't even start with me." Even's demeanor immediately changed from nervous to shocked.  "I would never-"  
  
"The Steam Man Band!  Come on!  Illusions and technology.  You must admit, it would be absolutely ideal.  It's two acts within one, yours and mine.  It would free me up to also observe our audiences while you distracted them.  They would think us sitting ducks and we would be getting the best of all results." Ienzo pressed onward, speaking quickly and excitedly in undertones.  
  
"That's out of the question. I won't do it!"   
  
("Ienzo, really?" Arlene snorted.  "The old man seems to be digging his heels in."  
  
"Give him a second.  Ienzo's as good as won at this point."  
  
"Whatever, Mountain-Man.  If he gets him to do whatever this 'Steamy Band' thing is, beer's on me."  She snorted with laughter. "What the hell is a 'Steamy Band', anyway?")  
  
"You're being stubborn." Ienzo articulated coldly, frowning at the other man, who responded with the same exact glare in turn.    
  
"I'm being pragmatic.  I would serve no purpose ‘performing’, aside from making a fool of myself.  I'm going back to the ship and that's final!"  He shrieked. A remarkably potent silence fell and settled heavily between them.  
  
Ienzo sighed, shrugging his small shoulders and looking up at the other man slowly.  His eyes were wide, shining with innocence as he folded his hands politely before him. Tucking a stray hair behind his ear, he revealed his other eye for a flash of a moment, bringing attention to exactly how young, innocent and somewhat unkept he looked next to the older scientist.  He cleared his throat awkwardly.   
  
("Wait for it..." Aeleus shook his head knowingly, trying to hide his expectant smile.)  
  
"I'm sorry, Even." Ienzo murmured, his voice soft, gentle, timid.  "Really, I had just really wanted to hear you sing again like we both used to in the labs, right after my parents...oh, never mind." He chuckled sadly at the recollection, treasuring it as it passed.  He played with the sleeve of his demure cloak and taking a moment to nervously straighten his cravat.  "I can see that it upsets you, but I was just remembering how very happy it made me.  Really, I'm quite sorry.  Please take care of the ship for us.  We will back as soon as we have gathered information.  We'll do our best, of course, but it won't be half as good as if you were here to help us."  
  
Even's eyes widened and his expression fell.  It looked for a moment that he might break down into tears, but he rather just stood frozen in place.  Ienzo turned hurriedly and began to walk away.  
  
("3..." Aeleus counted under his breath.)  
  
Even seemed caught between notions. He turned to follow the young man, taking huge steps to close the space between them, but then suddenly turned back, speeding in the exact opposite direction.  
  
("2...")  
  
Even ran his hands through his hair, groaning in frustration as though willing his thoughts to clear immediately on command, caught between the notions of wanting to save his pride or his conscience.   
  
("1...")  
  
A breath of a moment passed.  "FINE!" Even bellowed.  "Fine, I'll do it!  Only once!  That's it and that's final!" He shouted after Ienzo, jogging to catch up with him.  "Don't guilt me about it again!"  
  
(Aeleus glanced down at Arlene smiling as he quirked a brow at her, waiting for a reaction.  
  
"Fine, I owe you a beer." She grumbled in defeat.)   
  
*****  
  
The night was growing crisp as the sun was long since set.  The air would have, most likely, been rather crisp and refreshing had it not been for the abundance of exotic animals being herded to and from their cages, causing all sorts of noises and smells.  It might have been a rather offensive display, but there was a certain caring and minute adoration to the rest of the performers, as though their leader Stromboli’s love for gold had not quite dampened their spirits yet.  Indeed, it would be quite some time before the world sullied their views.  
  
But it was rather hard for them to concentrate on their work with the rather remarkable display going on right before their very eyes.    
  
A lone violinist and drummer had been pulled aside and the music which floated from their instruments was low, melodic, and fluid, but it was not those two who caught the crowd’s attention.  Lumaria was dancing.  
  
To call his motions simply dancing though,would be a grave understatement, Even reflected, his eyes wide and attentive.  The swaying motion of his body was almost wavelike, but isolated at first, drawing attention alluringly from one direction to another.  Hypnotic might have been accurate to the display, but somehow it seemed not as comprehensive.  The hands curled and moved, adorned as they were with rings and bracelets which clanked and rang as his motions forced them to sing.  Gradually the rhythm moved from his hands to his arms, and on to his shoulders, his feet.  He was, all at once quite simply...  
  
Graceful.  
  
It was simply remarkable to watch.  Exciting.  The academic almost hadn’t noticed that the other man had seemed to have borrowed a rather revealing set of sheer clothing to suit this new expertise. Heavens knows where he had gotten it, or why it fit  on his lithe body quite so perfectly, but Even didn’t want to admit to the steady increase in his own heart rate.  He might have even tried to distract himself from the display, but it seemed all but futile.  He busied his hands with his cufflinks, trying not to feel the growing heat from his cheeks, the telltale sign of a blush spreading from nose tip all the way to the tip of his ears.    
  
The dance finally concluded to a resounding applause and several rather suggestive glances from the faces around him.  Men, women, it didn’t seem to matter.  Lumaria glowing in the firelight seemed to be anyone’s carnal delight, and by the rather smug and assured grin he was sporting, he seemed to prefer it that way.  
  
Stromboli clapped his oversized hands loudly.  He gestured grandly.  “That’s our Lumaria.  He never fails to amaze!  Bravo!” He boomed, lifting a battered looking goblet of wine, toasting the impromptu performance.   
  
That was, of course, before a knife came whistling right past him and straight into the side of his cup, skewering it throughly so that deep red wine leaked out of the side and dribbled down his bulbous fingers.  He cursed loudly, looking around wildly for the culprit.  
  
“You’d better drink fast, fat man!  You’re gonna lose all your wine at this rate!” Arlene interjected, a wicked grin on her face as she darted forward and struck a swaggering pose as Lumaria stepped aside to let her have center-stage, giving her an approving nod. It seemed he wanted a good of a show as he had just put on, after all.  
  
Before Stromboli could mutter, “Managgia.”, Arlene was already off and running.  Wayward daggers flashed from ever odd angle as she tossed them high, catching them again effortlessly and flipping them around her small form before tossing them once again.  Again and again and again, she added to the number of airborne knives before until the connection she had between them seemed almost an electric flashing loop of activity.  After seeming to gather up enough of the blades, whether in the air or in her hands, she began to toss them carefully at the ground before until they jutted from the fertile earth spelling out a rather neat ‘A’.  She flashed a grin of triumph and gave the crowd a rather unceremonious bow, daring them not to be impressed.  They were, of course, quite taken with the display.  She was an outward display of ferocious femininity. How could a bunch of Italians possibly resist?  
  
Arlene finished off her set by stepping forward and snatching a weathered looking bottle of wine from the man nearest her.  He looked appalled by her conduct, but she couldn’t seem to care less as she took a deep swig and then bowed to the crowd grandly as though to confirm that she was now quite done with showing off.  Giving the applauders a bawdy wink, she traipsed off to stand by Lumaria, who was already clapping politely at her antics.    
  
Stromboli, who had just finished up chugging his goblet, had laughed uproariously through the entire performance.  He clapped her on the back as she joined them.  “I already have jugglers.” He shrugged one massive shoulder. “But they can be fired.  They’re not half as good.” She grinned conspiratorially with him.  
  
Next, Aeleus found himself being dragged forward by a much smaller individual.  He moved dutifully behind Ienzo, letting himself be led forward as he tried desperately to swallow the growing sense of dread. He was already such a focal point of attention to begin with, why did he need to further display himself.  He tried to gulp back the fuzzy, uncomfortable feeling of anxiety before looking down at his much smaller companion.  
  
Ienzo pointed over to one of the covered cages.  It’s alternating gaudy colors did nothing to cover the sounds of a few sleepy bears (snarling snores, no doubt).  “I dropped my pens under there...” the young scientist said with a sweet grin.  
  
Aeleus was not fooled for a moment. That grin could mean nothing good, and he knew exactly where this conversation was going, but before he could turn away, he noticed something rather particular.  Ienzo’s pens were, in fact, placed directly under the cart. He shot Ienzo a knowing glance before giving up with a rather defeated sigh.  
  
With a moment’s notice of this new trial, he stepped over to the rather oversized cart.  Cracking his knuckles before beginning, he planted his feet, took hold of the side and took a deep breath...  
  
With a gasp, the cart was lifted straight into the air.  The crowd stood in awe as Ienzo stepped forward and withdrew his supplies with an indulgent smile at the masses, as though to z-snap a ‘Bitch, please’ to them even before the phrase had even been invented.   
  
Aeleus stood patiently to the side, holding up the cart with little to no issue as the bears slumbered onward, one particularly loud one snorting slightly as Aeleus shifted it’s weight to get a better hold of it’s wooden side.  The crowd stared on in awe, amazed at his flexing muscles, his uncanny patience, even the outright casualness of the entire situation as Ienzo stepped away, allowing Aeleus to ease the cart back down once again, ever so careful not to disturb the animals within.  
   
“My apologies for the inconvenience.” He murmured softly, rejoining them.  
  
“You’ll be perfect. You’ll need a mustache though.” Stromboli admitted, stroking his own facial hair while eying Aeleus’ massive form, seeming to assess him for further value.  A silence fell now as only one man from the newcomers was left to be ‘tested’.   
  
Even stepped before the crowd.  His steps were rigid, jittery, and very much aware that there were far too many eyes on him at this moment.  Despite this fact, his eyes stayed trained on Stromboli, as though desperate to have a point to draw his attention at aside from the obvious rather scantily clad individual next to him.  
  
"E, che cosa fai?" The rotund entertainer muttered to Lumaria, who looked rather pointedly at Even and realized that he hadn't the foggiest idea. He raised his eyebrows and nodded in the man's direction.   
  
"I'll be singing." Even replied quickly.  
  
"We already have that." Stromboli muttered as he crossed his arms in an audible huff.  
  
"Not quite..." Even trailed.  He cast his glance over to Ienzo and nodded.  Ienzo's thick hair hid a rather mischievous smile.  
  
It seemed to take a heartbeat of a moment, and Lumaria could never quite pinpoint when it happened (perhaps when he had blinked, perhaps not), but it was no longer Even standing before him.  Or rather, it was, but it was not.  
  
His skin had a metallic sheen and glistened in the light of the rising moon and the waning fire.  His jaw seemed attached to his pronounced cheekbones with small, angular bolts.  His eyes were a deep black aside from the glowing brilliance of the pupils.  Silver wires sprouted from the top of his head like hair, falling elegantly back over his shoulders.  The gleam of metal was over his hands, and his fingers were attached with smooth, cooper joint pieces.    
  
That might have been surprising enough within itself, but there were three Robot-Evens standing there in total, each wearing the same outfit, with a different set of metal, wire and gear casings.  Several gasps rose from the crowd as the entire assembly leaned in, perplexed and entranced as the central Robot-Even emitted steam from his mouth in a slow, gentle hiss.  
  
The one in the forefront seemed somewhat just as perplexed as the rest of the crowd. He looked down at his hands, but Lumaria was quick to notice the pronounced way he executed this motion.  He moved stiffly, purposefully, bringing his arms up, turning his hands around and then back again.  Taking a step forward towards Stromboli, the rotund man's hand shot to his mouth, doing nothing to cover up his surprise.  
  
Even moved exactly like a robot.    
   
"Might I be so bold as to introduce myself?"  Even intoned, the two background robots responding in kind, bowing low in the same, stiff manner which Even had just done.  "This is the Steam Man Band."   
  
Bobbing back up again, Even took another robotic step forward and finally began to do just what he had promised: he opened his metallic, hinged mouth and began to sing.  
  
It was a chorus of three, perfectly in harmony and dancing their oddly uplifting stiff robotic movements as the words floated through the audience.  It was...catchy, Lumaria was forced to admit. And in addition, it was certainly Even's voice.  There was that remarkable hint of his know-it-all personality behind every word of it.  He never would have suspected that Even could follow a tune, let alone harmonize so very effectively, or splendidly.  It was rather enlightening.  
  
Not half as shocking as the display of the band, but rather comforting in the wake of the surprise. It could have been a song from a phonograph, he noted, training his mouth from the smile that was fighting to surface.  It was all so very clever.  
  
He gave a wayward glance to Ienzo, and was not surprised to see the man scanning the crowd in the wake of his distraction, because surely that's all that it was: a remarkable illusion.  Everything from the movements, to the singing to the copies, it must have all been fake.  
  
But that voice was Even's...wasn't it?  
  
Before he could continue that inquiry, the song ended, one of the robots literally hissed to a screeching halt, the others powered off where they stood and Even blew a bout of steam from his mouth once again and slumped stiffly forward, still standing, eyes fixed on the ground before him.  Their objective was complete and thus it seemed that it was high time they powered off once again.  
  
Lumaria had used technology before.  He was familiar with how to control a computer screen, but this kind of technology was something quite different, something truly remarkable.  The crowd was silenced, staring at the three robots, frozen, slumped or just flat out inert.  They waited with bated breath, anticipating the next action, the next song, the next note, when quite suddenly the robots were gone.  It was as though they had dissipated into thin air, perhaps as much a daydream as their memories would later tell them it was.  If it hadn't been for the mirrored amazed looks on the faces around them, they most likely would have chalked up the performance to a rather drunken haze.  
  
As it were though, it seemed the perfect time for them to break out into an uproarious applause.  Although they might not have understood a word of English in the song itself, the show was spectacular.  
  
Stromboli himself rubbed his beady eyes and joined the crowd in a standing ovation.  "I don't know what the hell that was but, managgia, that was stupendo!"  
  
Even (the real one, the one that remained), now surrounded by the cheers of the crowd, stood rather still as though further motions may provoke the crazed Italians into attacking (which, in his defense, it very well might have).    
  
"Well done, amici." He said, referring to the entirety of the newcomers.  "You start tomorrow night.  Don't mess it up!" He boomed before turning to go find a new (not stabbed) goblet and muttering, "Now, we'll beat that damned flying elephant for sure!"  
  
Even walked slowly back to them, rather jittery and unsteady on his feet.  Thankfully, the people around tended to give him a wide berth, given his new perchance for multiplying and turning mechanical. Oddly enough, none seemed to question the logic of the situation.  Being performers in their own right, Lumaria supposed it was safe to assume that they knew that trade secrets were worth their weight in gold and just as protectively guarded by their owners.  
  
"So..." Arlene trained, giving Even a once-over rather pointedly.  "You're a singing robot band, and you never told us."   
  
"Don't be stupid." Ienzo snapped, quick to take up credit where it was due.  "I created the illusion of multiple Evens and their robot exterior." He continued, a boast lingering in his tone.  
  
"So," Lumaria's smooth voice cut through the celebration behind them as he entered the conversation. (the Italians had started to open more wine.  Any excuse to party was a good one, after all.) "His singing and his motions, that was his own doing?" He asked, this time looking directly at Even, who had now taken to holding on to Aeleus' arm for support, his face having turned nearly translucent in how pale he was.  
  
  
"Yes, that was all Even." Ienzo replied, waving off the subject inconsequentially.  "He sings in the lab sometimes by himself.  He used to do it much more when I was younger though..."  
  
"...so many people..." Even murmured.  
  
"What?" Aeleus intoned, looking down with concern at the man currently giving his arm as much of a death grip as his thin fingers could manage.  
  
"There were so many people..." He trailed again, looking shaken.  
  
Lumaria gave a low chuckle and moved in close to the scientist.  "You do know, there will be far more of them tomorrow night, right?" He teased.    
  
There was the soft thump of Even hitting the grassy ground face first, passed out cold.  
  



	14. Chapter 14

Wine tasted sour.  
  
Well, it roughly tasted sour, Even reflected over the rim of his somewhat aged and chipped (but fastidiously clean) goblet.  In any other occasion, Even would have refused the drink entirely.  Alcohol turned men into idiots and clouded his precious mind.  Unless it was sweet enough to risk health complications, he mostly could not even be swayed from this course of action, but the past week or so had been...  
  
He shook his head slowly, refusing to cast too much thought on the crowds and crowds of people he had entertained.  The memories of their shadowed forms lingering just out of his line of vision within the bright lights of the circus haunted him only briefly before he compartmentalized the stage freight and fear, forcing them away for the time being.  
  
This couldn't possibly bite him in the ass later, he thought grimly, not even slightly worried for his mental health after all the years of denying it.  
  
One week's worth of observations had been enough to convince him that, perhaps there was something here that needed their attention quite badly.  Ienzo had warned him that the darkness was growing, that he was keeping an eye (and a nose) out for the entire party, but there was no sign of it taking form quite yet.  
  
They were prepared...but what for?  
  
"Getting sloshed, old man?" A voice chirped from behind him.  Arlene approached the barrel he had currently settled himself on, beside the weather-beaten wagons meant to carry supplies for the animals, he discerned by the smell of oats, hay and any other spare greens.  
  
He gestured to an open bottle next to him.  Stromboli had been trying to force a glass of wine on him the entire time they had been within the Italian's presence. He had staunchly refused up until today. He had figured that he might as well give it a taste, and was displeased that his assumptions about home made wine were, in fact, correct.  It was strong enough to knock him off his feet.  
  
"It's not healthy to drink alone, you know?" She said slyly, holding out a goblet of her own.  Even raised his eyebrows and chuckled to himself.   
  
"If you insist." He poured her a generous serving, hoping to get rid of as much of the sour drink as possible, not bothering to even ask where she had gotten herself a goblet to begin with. "And I was only tasting it."  
  
"Tasting it specifically out of the way of the clean up crew, hm?" She added in undertones.  There was a hint of admiration for his cunning in this though.  Being hidden as he was, he would definitely not be pulled into helping put the animals and props away after the show, or any of the other rather unsavory tasks that followed a performance.  
  
"I'm no fool." He said, taking a short sip from his cup, as though to test it once again and still finding it quite unpalatable.    
  
Arlene laughed brightly at the look on his face before taking a deep gulp of her own.  She finally spoke after she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, seeming to enjoy the dry, biting taste.  "So, song and dance with the robo-man.  Who would have thought?"  
  
"I'm not a singer." Even replied instantly.  
  
"Oh, so it's your evil twin then?  Or are those illusions really just replicas and-"  
  
"No, no, no." Even waved her off with a wry grin.  "That's not correct at all.  I do sing.  I'm not a singer."   
  
Arlene let a pause settle between them which only seemed to emphasize exactly how stupid Even had just sounded.    
  
"I'm not even going to make a snarky comment about that one.  Too easy." She grinned wickedly, then took another deep gulp from her goblet.  
  
"What I mean is," Even snapped, rolling his eyes.  "It takes passion and soul to be a singer.  I can read music.  I can follow notes.  That's all that it is.  Being a singer comes from the heart.  To sing is just robotic." He explained, waving the notion off vaguely with his slender hand. "I do the latter, understand?  I’m a scientist, not a singer."  
  
Arlene paused briefly once again as though to consider this.  It's not that his reasoning was incorrect.  If anything, she rather agreed with the academic, but there was something distinctly off.  
  
"So, you don't think that you're using your heart?"    
  
"I know that I'm not." Even laughed wryly.  
  
Arlene thought back to his performance, back to the multiple nights now when she had felt a certain sense of lightheartedness and cheer through those harmonized robotic tones, within that (now practiced) routine.  She had seen the audience cheer and laugh along with her, taking joy in the sheer ridiculousness of his songs and the playful nature of the subject matter (her personal favorite being about the ‘Suspender Man’ from the swamp, or perhaps even the ‘Valiant Sea Captain who could seem to do no wrong’).  She had felt something like a genuine connection, and that, quite frankly, was heart enough for her.  "I think you are."   
  
"I appreciate the compliment, but you are wrong." He sustained, staring into the deep red of his wine and swirling it once again, as though confused with what to do with a compliment from Arlene, and furthermore, one that he did not agree with in the slightest.  
  
She halfheartedly shrugged one shoulder.  "Well, whatever.  So, how do you do it, anyway?"  She continued, leaning carelessly on the side of his barrel.  He shifted to give her his attention.  
  
"What, exactly?"  
  
"You know," She sustained.  "Your 'robo-moves'"  She said, doing a rather shoddy imitation, complete with stiff arms and legs moving in unison (but still careful not to spill a drop of her drink).  
  
Even couldn't help but smile, which softened his sharp features as he laughed at the ludicrous look on her face, wondering briefly if that was what he looked like when he did his own robot impressions.  Then again, he did recall forcing his illusion-ed expression to be that of a 'hospitable smile', by some shape or form.  
  
"That's easy!" He exclaimed, setting his own goblet down as he pushed himself off of his makeshift seat.  "It's simple muscle control." Demonstrating, he moved his body exactly like he did during the show.  Even despite him not having an illusion of metallic features, it still looked strikingly convincing, Arlene reflected, shaking her head knowingly.  It was as though he were a robot, cleverly hidden beneath a human exterior.   "You spend enough time around robots, and it becomes easier to note how practiced their movements are.  That and," he paused, almost as though deciding if he really did want to step further in the conversation.  
  
Apparently, he did. "I used to imitate robots for Ienzo when he was a small child." In retrospect, perhaps divulging this was not the most tactical ideas, but he would later blame the wine for that lapse in judgement.    
  
"You did the song and dance for little baby Ienzo?" She summed up in a single question.    
  
Even shrugged uncomfortably.  "They can be quite intimidating for younger individuals, after all, and he needed to be comfortable around them in order to take charge of them." He admitted somewhat speedily.  Arlene groaned, smiling widely, which caused Even to redden in dismay.  "What?" He demanded in exasperation.  
  
"No, you don't get it.  I'm gonna need a second, because that's just too damn adorable.  I can't even make fun of that."  She continued, almost under her breath.  "Alright, alright, back to business, old man.  Help me with the robo-dance." She ordered, starting up her ridiculous imitation once again.   
  
"No, no, no.  Keep your body aligned."  Even shook his head knowingly and then stepped forward to try to straighten her back, holding her gently by the hips.  
  
"Watch it, pal!" She snapped, smacking his thin hands away and looking affronted.  “I might sleep in the buff, but that doesn’t mean I’m looking for company from you, if you catch my drift.” To put it in short terms, Arlene seemed rather pissed.  Even, on the other hand, withdrew his hands immediately with a shudder.  
  
“Wha-what?” He sputtered, stumbling back a bit and shaking his head in disgust.  “Oh, please, keep your vagina to yourself.  Not everyone is as fond of womanly-charms as you’d like to imagine.” He huffed, giving her lower region a disgusted glare as though it’s presence had personally attacked him.  
  
Arlene quirked a brow at him. “Oh, does that mean that you’re-”  
  
“Homosexual? Gay? Batting for the other team? As straight as the Tower of Piza? Strictly dickly? Need I go on? Oh, yes.” He answered airily with a roll of his eyes, waving the subject off as though it were common knowledge and old news. “I’m so man-inclined, in fact, one might even consider me to be vagina-phobic.”   
  
Arlene was not able to hold back a giggle at that sentiment, not that she was particularly trying. “Vagina-phobic? Are you sure that’s a thing?”  
  
Even held up a threatening finger in response as his eyes narrowed, yet a smile fought it’s way on to his sharp features. “Which one of us is the scientist here, hm?” He continued, gesturing grandly to himself.  In retrospect, it made a great deal of sense, Arlene observed. She had never felt particularly as though Vexen had been interested in her on any level whatsoever, let alone physical.  Before, she had chalked it up to his sense of superiority, and truthfully that may have played heavily into it at the time.  Now, it would only make sense for Even to share his sentiments.  Regardless, she didn’t have any doubt that he was most likely familiar with female anatomy as much as he was male, being so studious and obsessive.  She suddenly had the rather strong image of a young Even, queasily studying an anatomy book which he held at an arm’s length and couldn’t help but laugh.  
  
“Alright, your almighty gay-ness.  I suppose you know best.” She relented with an easy shrug. “I guess I believe in your love of all things dong-oriented.  Particularly if you’ve been attracting a certain dancer’s attention.” She said, waggling her eyebrows at him.  She had to admit that she didn’t quite know what to do when a blush spread across his pale face. She paused in her teasing to give him a moment while she took a deep gulp of wine.   
  
“Attracting attention, indeed. If only it were quite so simple. I very much doubt-...” He trailed vaguely, taking another timid sip of his own goblet, cringing at the sour taste but relishing the slight numbness on the tongue.   
  
Looking back at him as he ran his hand nervously through his hair and composed himself, she figured that now was as good of a time as ever to bring up exactly what she had been thinking.  Perhaps it was the fuzzy sensation of the alcohol floating about her head, or maybe even the fact that she had, for once, managed to finally speak with the aged scientist alone, but the realization gave her just that touch of courage that she felt she needed.  
  
“Thanks.” She blurted out, looking more at her cup than at her companion.  
  
Even perked up, clearly perplexed. “For...?”  
  
“Thanks for sticking up for me,” She gave another one shoulder shrug as though unsure of what to do with her body for once.  She finally looked up at him. “Back in Tortuga, I mean.”  The moment settled between them heavily as Even’s confusion snapped into anger.  He took a sharp breath in to yell, and Arlene braced her ears for an angry shriek, but none came.  The anger died on his lips as fast as it had come, melting into something far softer, more sympathetic.   
  
“Of course.” He murmured, his features far softer, almost apologetic.  Looking straight at one another, something of a weight seemed to be dissipating and Arlene almost felt as though she could breath easier.  It was uncanny, to see Even looking quite so understanding when she was so accustomed to his nagging tone and constant jabbering. To see him this way was heart-warming, as gag-worthy as it was to admit.  
  
“So, about that robo-dance...” She interrupted, with a wide grin.  
  
\-----  
  
Ienzo wasn't accustomed to being evaded.  His senses were honed to perfection when it came to tracking down the scent of darkness.  After having spent so much time seeped in shadows, darkness seemed like an ever looming friend, always calling back to him, checking in on him, taking note of him just in case he ever wanted to return for a prolonged visit.  Looking out at the members of their party, he was confronted with the fact, once again, that most of them feared the darkness and shied away from it.    
  
Perhaps he was the only one who lived with it these days.  The thought might have given his younger self a chill, but these days he accepted it with the heavy grace of a terminal patient.  The darkness sometimes felt like a ticking time bomb, smelled like ash and brimstone, tasted thickly like blood and clogged the throat from speaking up.  There were also times when the darkness felt soft and comforting, welcoming, when it smelled like the leaves of autumn and the warm squash stew that Aeleus used to make when the seasons changed. It tried to hide in your fondest memories, your favorite pastimes, your trusted advisors, tried to lure you back to where it knew you were weakest. Ienzo had to learn quickly the difference between the darkness and his own illusions.  At times they melded dangerously, but making use of them was not only imperative, it was vital.  
  
Now that he had grown so close to the darkness, had become so used to recognizing it, he could feel it at his fingertips and nipping at the edges of his mind as he did his damnedest to avoid it.    
  
It was painful.  
  
His face was trained into a careful mask as the growing power pushed at his barriers, trying to seep through the cracks. It was here.  He knew it was here, but where...?  
  
"Are you alright?" Said a smooth voice behind him.  
  
Ienzo snapped to attention, whirling around and finding Lumaria standing directly behind him.  The prodigy gave a disgruntled sigh.  He had figured up until this point that all of Even's antics about Lumaria sneaking up behind him had been due to the scientist's own perchance for ignoring what he did not want to see.  Now, perhaps, he'd have to consider that Lumaria was just as skilled at moving softly as himself. "I'm fine." He intoned, more to give himself reassurance.  
  
Lumaria nodded, allowing the metal on his earrings to jingle. His entire body was wrapped in silken fabrics, overly exotic and unnamable by nature, their colors standing out against the night sky. "It's quite a view you have here." He observed, looking down as the rest of the performers rushed about, gathering the props and cleaning as they went.  They worked quickly, methodically, casting one another approving glances before hurrying on.  
  
Aeleus was among them, of course. Being cast as 'The Mountain', or 'La Montagne', had it's drawbacks, Ienzo had observed. He knew, clear as day, that Aeleus abhorred his costume. From the second Stromboli had given it to him the job of being the ‘Strong Man’, the stone faced guardian had stoically accepted the burden, and yet there was a great deal that could be told with in that begrudging silence. To say that he seemed grim about the entire setup would have been a dire understatement.  
  
And yet the well-oiled and barely clothed look suited him so very nicely.  
  
"So, what's the story?" Lumaria asked after settling down next to the petite man.  
  
"Which story?" Ienzo countered, a wry grin on what was apparent of his face, uncovered by his slate hair.  Lumaria couldn't help but be impressed.  Not only had he evaded the somewhat uncomfortable question but he had managed to give away just enough information to attract only more questions.  He was surprised though, when Ienzo continued on. "I could ask you the same thing, after all."   
  
"Nothing really to tell on this.  I met Larxene in the Organization. You've seen the rest.  Similar ideals and whatnot." The dancer waved off the suspicions fluidly as though wiping away dust.  "Now, how about you and Even?"  
  
"Surely you've heard that story by now." Ienzo huffed with a roll of his eyes, casting his glance back down at the workers, watching as the night overpowered the colors on the circus tent, casting everything in a dull grays of varying shades aside from what was lit by lanterns and firelight.  
  
"Not quite." Lumaria admitted, his eyes locked on Ienzo with a rare note of genuine interest though the ease of his pose revealed nothing.  
  
Ienzo shrugged lightly in response. "He had a heavy hand in raising me.  He was my mentor from a very young age."   
  
"I thought that was Ansem who took you in..." Lumaria trailed, remembering the whispers and rumors overheard back in Radiant Garden.  
  
"Yes, technically.  Master Ansem took on a great many projects when he thought that they were worthwhile.  He was magnanimous and had a great deal of trust in humanity."  Ienzo had to pause, and if Lumaria hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he might not have believed it. Ienzo was laughing softly.  "Ansem certainly took me in, but the responsibility fell on the Lead Apprentice Even to actually do the work of care taking." He continued, his words gaining speed and ease along with a particular note of crispness which Lumaria had never known who to ascribe to before. Now, it was all too clear.  
  
"No fondness for the old Master, then?"  
  
"Of course I'm fond of him. It's hard to be cross of a few fleeting memories of ice cream and pleasant conversation before he would disappear for another few years."  Ienzo said evenly.  
  
"Any guilt?"  
  
"Oh, yes. So much guilt.  So very much guilt that I simply cannot function." Ienzo responded with a saccharine smile that struck Lumaria as both beautiful and horrifying all at once.  It was remarkable how his tone could remain so very light and innocent when his words seem overwhelmingly bitter.  "I leave the guilt for Aeleus and Even to lose sleep over.  I'm interested in moving forward."  
  
"Aeleus and Even." Lumaria pressed.  
  
"Their story extends beyond mine." Ienzo admitted bluntly. "And neither are speaking on it.  Trust me on that."   
  
Lumaria paused, not having quite expected an answer so direct or so frustrated.  He, apparently, was not the only one in the dark. There was still one subject that baffled him and, for the first time in a long while, he finally had the chance to find clarification. Amid all this hasty running and random coincidences, the assassin was willing to take his chances.  
  
"Then, what about Aeleus?" Lumaria continued nonchalantly.   
  
Ienzo's expression did not falter, but he seemed to take pause, frozen in thought as he peered down at the large man.  Aeleus, who had already rather distastefully removed his 'fake moustache' that Stromboli had insisted on wearing during performances, was currently lifting and loading rows upon rows of benches to be kept safely on the circus premises. He carted the heavy wooden seats along as easily as one might carry their lunchbox, and yet his face remained stoic, guarded, masked.  He was doing the majority of the work, helping many of those who were physically weaker than him to lift and carry.  And yet, the other members seemed timid to even approach him or speak with him.   
   
It was understandable, Ienzo reflected.  The man could be extremely hard to read.  Though he had never agreed with the notion (Aeleus seemed to share his thoughts and understand him far better than anyone), others found him to be intimidating.  They couldn't understand past the size, the strength of him.  There was certainly a personality beyond that body.  
  
Lumaria watched along with Ienzo, letting his companion settle into his own thoughts.  The silence between them seemed peaceful, comfortable.  That was, perhaps, what made Ienzo's reaction all the more poignant.  
  
"Don't you dare." The prodigy hissed.  
  
Lumaria didn't have time to respond.  Ienzo's hand shot out, grabbing the dancer by his neck and pulling him to eye level.  His expression had morphed from that even keel aloofness which the young man wore at all times, into something twisted, driven.  His lips barely moved as he spoke in a whisper. "I know exactly what you're planning on with Even, you disgusting trollop.  If you so much as think of laying a hand on Aeleus, I'll personally tear you limb from limb, starting with unhinging that pretty little mind of yours."  
  
"So, you’ll defend Aeleus but you’re abandoning Even, then?"  Lumaria whispered back, fighting the urge to chuckle at the outburst, or to throw the younger man off him completely.  Bending his neck in such a way was proving to be rather uncomfortable, but his face betrayed none of it.  
  
"You can't abandon someone who's already left you." Ienzo's visible eye narrowed and darkness gathered around the both of them as they faced one another, poised and motionless, so close that Lumaria could feel Ienzo's soft breath.  "Even wanted a future for me that I will never want for myself.  Neglectful men raising more neglectful men.  He's so brilliant he'll never realize how much of a fool he is." The tightening grip on his throat kept Lumaria from outright laughter as Ienzo seemed all the more driven to crush his windpipe.  
  
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Lumaria warned softly.  
  
Ienzo suddenly paused, feeling a slight pressure at his abdomen.  Peering down, the glint of a throwing knife was visible in the light of the moon.  The younger man withdrew, leaning back once again and grimacing at his companion. "One of Arlene's?" He snapped crossly.  
  
"Who do you think taught her to throw?" Lumaria shook his head knowingly, withdrawing the blade skillfully.  
  
They stood for a moment in the darkness, the silence, letting the threat settle to a low simmering anger between them as Aeleus single handedly closed up the carts which protected the lions, giving it a good natured pat before moving on to the next task.  The rest of the performers, lion-tamers included, watched him nervously.    
  
"Careful, illusionist. You may get lost in your own fantasies." Lumaria broke in finally.  
  
Ienzo sniffed in derision. "Is that so, assassin?" He sneered, enjoying the word.  
  
"Oh yes." Lumaria responded easily. "Be very careful indeed."   
  
And with that, the graceful dancer picked himself soundless from the ground and withdrew to the tents on the edges of the camp.  
  
\-----  
  
Night fell quickly. That is to say that the day passed rather quickly as well.  With so much to do between performing, observing, and keeping their identities hidden, it left little time for relaxation for Even aside from when the night fell and they were expected to rest up sufficiently (after the nightly wine drinking and dancing, but hey, their employer was Italian after all).    
  
The smiles of those still twirling around the campsite floated in his mind along with that glass or two of wine he had consumed with (of all people) Arlene.  She, of course, remained entirely unaffected yet still completely unable to dance. He wondered fleetingly how such a thing were possible for someone of her limited stature, but he quickly chalked that up to continual consumption in becoming accustomed to the sensation of drunkenness (or lack of).  In short, she was a tiny juggernaut and he had a great deal to be jealous of.  
  
The sight where the traveling party had set up their serviceably sized sleeping quarters was flat and the surrounding grass had turned from lush green to deep moss in the darkness of the night.  The crescent moon peeked down from the scattered clouds which thinly covered the sky as though swiped on by a careless paintbrush.  Small tents is what the newest performers had been allowed to live in for the time being, until they ‘paid their dues’, as reasoned by Stromboli (which might have sounded fair if the travelers hadn’t known him to be horrendously cheap, despite his insistence on constantly drinking).  Even would have been more than happy to retire into his own ship, with the convenience of modern technology and the luxury of hot running water, but unfortunately, were anyone to catch him sneaking away to find an invisible floating space ship, there would be a great deal of cleaning up to have to deal with.  
  
That kept in mind, they accepted their new ‘makeshift abodes’ all with the exception of Lumaria. Even gritted his teeth as he shot a glare at the dancers oversized tent. Apparently, the graceful dancer had built up enough of a reputation and sex appeal in the past to warrant the monstrosity which he was currently living in.  The cottage sized living space was admirable, to say the least. While the abode wasn’t ‘grand’ per-se, it certainly had a sense of superiority to it.  The heavy drapery of the facade was cleanly built, sturdy as opposed to the small breezy tents which surrounded it. Even rolled his eyes, noting the small stream of smoke which was slowly curling from the other side of the tent, finding escapes where it could manage.  Fire was nothing to play around with, he mused silently, slowing his pace to a halt before the opening. Really, Lumaria should take better care of his possessions, leaving them with an unattended fire.  How unfortunate if it should happen to get out of hand.  Not to mention that any terribly incendiary occurrences would set them back a great deal, considering that they were supposed to be observing the world, not burning it to the ground.   
  
It couldn’t hurt at all just to step in for a moment, just to check...It was for the good of their objective, after all.  
  
Even edged over to the tent, looking around hesitantly before drawing back the lavishly embroidered curtain, revealing an equally extravagant interior.  The light of the modest, yet warm fire illuminated all of the contents in a welcoming and almost sensual glow. Colored shawls, embroidered and set with tiny, shining silver bells lay strewn across the floor and the sparse furniture.  Dozens of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and headpieces were lain out, their gold glinting in the light of the fire, rubies and emeralds glittering before his eyes.   
  
Gifts.  There must have been hundreds of golden, embroidered, or generally painstakingly crafted gifts here.  Even’s eyes darted around the room, taking in the value of each and every object, knowing he might be able to make some sort of sense of this extravagance.  
  
“I didn’t know I had to worry about thieves here.” Purred a voice from directly behind him. Even would never admit to the rather high pitched yelp that followed. Lumaria smiled indulgently, watching the man stumble over a wayward shawl in an effort to gain a bit of dignity and distance.   
  
Even shook his head, as though to shimmy his thoughts back in line, trying to remember beyond the sudden shock and the intoxicating scent of lilac and rose that always seemed to adorn the other man like a mantel. “You left the light on.”   
  
“The fire.” Lumaria corrected.  
  
“Whatever.” Even grumbled. He crossed his arms in a huff.  “It’s good that you’ve returned.  I should be leaving then.” And truly, he should have been.  There was no logical way in which to block his exit, and yet his feet seemed frozen in place, whether it be by the extravagant mess or the fact that his thoughts were swimming in perfume.   
  
“So soon?” Lumaria fixed him with an expectant stare. “Why not settle down and warm yourself?”  The dancer languidly stepped over the strewn about trinkets, baubles and trophies.  Even drank in the fluid way he moved, wondering how it could be possible that one exist so apart from the human norm.     In retrospect, to one who moved like a robot  much like he did, it made the feat of Lumaria’s sword dances all the more entrancing.  Lumaria certainly didn’t need to turn around to know that Even was watching.  
  
While it was a rather crisp night outside of the comfort of the tent, Even found himself sweating now, looking at the composure of his companion. “No, I would rather not...”  He began.  
  
“Ah, but you do not have to stay long.” Lumaria pressed.  
  
“Really, this is very unexpected...” Even trailed.  “I have to look at my notes. I have to make conclusions to my general assumptions.  I must-”  
  
“It will only be a moment.” Lumaria continued easily. Even felt his mind come up with a dozen more excuses, each more foolish than the last, finally ending lamely with something about ‘combing my hair.’   
  
Lumaria smiled indulgently and gestured him forward. Even had the keen impression that he now knew what it felt like to be a mouse who was being watched by a mountain lion.  He stayed frozen in place, eyes staring blankly forward at the fire, yet not really seeing it.   
  
“You don’t have to, of course, if you’re too afraid.”  
  
Even sputtered, shooting a venomous look in Lumaria’s direction.  “Of you? Of course not!  Don’t be ridiculous!” He continued in a loud huff.  Finding the gaze of his companion insufferable in that moment almost as much as he found those words to be in their implication, he snapped his attention pridefully away, as though fishing for a new insult before snapping his attention back. “How dare you-!” but Lumaria was no longer by the fire, sprawled comfortably, warming his body and giving off-color comments about Even’s courage or therefore lack of.  
  
Lumaria was right in front of him yet again, taking his hand and tugging for him to move forward.  He was immediately gripped by the attraction of this invitation, the warmth of this setting, the colors of that flowing fabric, the scent of Lumaria’s hair.  He knew he should be retreating, beyond a shadow of a doubt that there was nothing safe here, nothing trustworthy and that sense which had worked so faithfully for him in the past was now stoically silent.  A morbid curiosity within him wondered if he could elude death twice.  The overwhelming majority of his attention was fixed on those eyes and before he could even begin to question the logic of it all, his feet were moving.  He was being pulled in.  
  
The gesture was so smooth, so unassuming that he could have been inviting Even to dance.  Lumaria saw the fear in his mind, how it caused those cold green eyes to go deliciously vulnerable, yet they were no longer on him.  
  
Even was staring at the fire.  
  
“Let go of me!” The academic hissed, too late it seemed.  Lumaria avoided his clumsy clawing hands, his desperate shove.  He clamped his hand on Even’s slender arm, dragging him forward.  Even shook violently, his voice failing him in the wake of his panic.  
  
“So, you’re not afraid?” Lumaria repeated, that smooth tone never faltering despite the effort it was now taking to keep the scientist in his grasp as he struggled for the exit, shivering uncontrollably.  
  
“Lumaria, let go!” He shrieked, trying to squirm from his grasp.  
  
“And you’ve forgiven all that’s happened between us? It is only logical after all.” Lumaria plowed on without a hint of hesitation, that same even-keel voice mocking Even’s justifications back to him.  
  
“Stop it!” Even’s voice broke as he nearly dislocated his shoulder trying to yank himself free.  Lumaria held fast, undaunted.  It could have been another one of his dance moves.  The motion was so smooth, strong, graceful and in the same breath, merciless. He jerked Even forward, holding him just before those hungry flames, almost as though he were an offering at an alter.  They roared to life, searing heat pouring forth a Lumaria’s summons, filling the tent and lighting them with a threatening ferocity.  
  
Even froze, his legs giving way, his arms held fast by the assassin, his voice stolen.  All at once, unbidden, the memories flooded him, filling him with the sound of fire, it’s hungry roar as it devoured all before it.  
  
“You cannot forgive me.” Lumaria continued, letting the flame die down to it’s normal size as he withdrew his magical aid.  “I don’t doubt that you’ve tried, but I also know how you awaken from your nightmares, screaming, writhing.” Lumaria paused, letting the words settle, wrapping his arms around the other man ever so gently, as though satisfied with how far he had gone and the victory he had won.  It was a cat, picking up a bird whose wings it had broken.  
  
“You burn every single night, you freeze yourself by morning.”  Lumaria whispered. Even shivered, staring into the now calm flames, completely motionless.  
  
“The memory haunts you.” Lumaria continued, pulling him ever closer, stroking softly at Even’s long hair, attempting to turn his head.  Even was having none of it, he was mesmerized if not exhausted.  He certainly seemed to be a bit beyond Lumaria’s attentions.  
  
“You cannot understand.” Even answered, his voice listless, exhausted, pained.  He spoke so softly, as though admitting it might shatter his will completely.  “I smelled my own flesh burning.” He swallowed heavily, remembering the sight of his own hand, his skin bubbling and melting before his very eyes.   
  
The assassin leaned in close, his voice barely above a sigh.  “Let me replace that memory, Even.  Please. ” Lumaria’s hand slid smoothly along the other’s chest, his torso, settling at his hip and positioning him to lay comfortably back. The scent of roses was overwhelming now, the lighting playing tricks with his eyes, making him sleepy, satiated, and that undeniable suggestion of just wanting to comply.  He could just give up.  He could give in.  It would feel heavenly, he was sure.  Physical gratification was a real and extremely tantalizing.  It might even keep the nightmares at bay for just a little while.  Just the warmth of those hands on his body caused a shiver to run through him that had nothing to do with the sickening fear he had been wracked with not a few minutes before.  The man was toying with him, with his very emotions and his ability to process them.  
  
“Even.” Lumaria trailed, a hand ran through Even’s hair while the scientist’s mind spun off in directions which he dare not follow. He couldn’t trust this man.  He dare not trust this man.  And yet, there was something that was causing his heart to pound that had nothing to do with this fear of destruction, the expectation of imminent betrayal.  
  
“Even.” Lumaria repeated, pulling Even against him, so gently yet so easily.  Even felt those hands interweave with his own.  The other man leaned forward into the another kiss, deepening it and exploring Even’s limits.  Even would have been dumbfounded if he had not been preoccupied trying to clear out the panicked thoughts of death or the horror of being forced into submission.  No, his mind was too concerned with the Lumaria’s tongue and how it ran so very smoothly along his own teeth, imagining the pleasure it could cause elsewhere. Or perhaps of the was that he rolled his hips against Even’s own when he arched that beautifully muscled back of his could only be described as art, pure and simple.  
  
No, there was something beyond these motions, this scent, that tone, those eyes.  There was a man here beyond all of this show. Even started with a jolt, as though being shoved out of bed after a particularly long rest. He snapped his attention to Lumaria as though seeing him for the first time.  It was remarkable he had not realized it yet before, he thought he could always recognize a good shield when he saw one.  
  
“No.”   
  
This was not the voice of a man who begged for his life in the wake of destruction, this was the voice of one who had witnessed his own death and now feared something far deeper, far emptier. “I don’t want to deal with this facade, Lumaria.”  The assassin paused, his mind jolted from the sudden change of heart.  
  
“What could you possibly mean?” He asked in a breathy whisper.  
  
“Who are you?” Even shot back, a harsh demand among the endless seductive sweet-nothings that his companion had offered him, perhaps a bit more powerful than Even had meant for his words to be, but he finally had an idea of what this was and where it was going.  The chilling demand behind those brilliant eyes of his had locked his companion in place. “Not this glamor, this beauty, this hypnosis.  I want to know you.”   
  
The pause that followed was deafening, only interrupted by the crackling of the calm fire, and the intense stare that locked the both of them in place.  
  
Before he could even think to react, Lumaria had Even’s wrists in a vice-tight grip, pinning him to the floor.  His attack had been so effortless, so efficient that Even didn’t know he was trapped until his head slammed on to the ground from the sheer speed of it.  He winced, looking up and expecting to find Lumaria’s usual unimpressed smirk. Even was silenced by what he found in it’s place.   
  
The anger which twisted the dancer’s expression was something carnal, something predatory, hungry.  Even felt fear searing down his spine and freezing him in place.  Unwittingly, the temperature dropped around the duo and Even fought to regain control of his powers, gulping in deep breaths, trying to keep his slender hands from shaking under the gradually tightening grip.  
  
“This isn’t you.”  Even tried to calmly rationalize, surprised to find his voice coming out in a breathy whisper.   “Lumaria, this isn’t-”  
  
The other man seemed to jump, his fingertips twitching and then loosening on Even’s wrists.  He withdrew himself, sitting back on Even’s legs and taking a look down at body, unfocused and blinking slowly.  He took a deep breath, and then another, shaking his head, as though to knock himself from a reverie. Those unfocused eyes narrowed dangerously as he glanced at Even’s face.    
  
The scientist was certainly caught off guard, but he wasn’t about to stick around to find out exactly what that hidden outburst meant.  He shoved Lumaria off of his legs and flung himself at the exit, making it in a few large, clumsy (almost drunken) bounds.  He didn’t stop running, not until his legs burned, and the tears in his eyes dried as the cold night air whipped across his face.  The moon seemed weak, pale, waning as it soared overhead.  Even gulped down fresh, crisp air, trying to wash the scent, the lust, the yearning from his body and mind alike. He only succeeded in making himself feel slightly nauseous, as well as panicked.  He remembered how Lumaria looked as he bolted away, the fire casting a dancing light across his face.    
  
Frustrated, angry, lost.  
  
\-----  
  
The night was dark.  
  
It was a deep, inky blackness that descended upon them, covering the campsite and circus tent like a cloak.  It spilled over the hills, it doused the nearby mountains, it silenced the forests and it muffled all of the lights within the town.  All that could be heard was the wind passing through verdant, green blades of grass, through the thick foliage which surrounded them, through the creepers and vines that slinked up the sides of buildings and gateways.  It was the same verdant green which of the moss which blanketed the cobblestone streets overpowering their Mediterranean pastel tones.   
  
The flowers which bloomed on the outskirts were now painting fanciful colors all along the business fronts, ruby and sapphire, pearl and garnet petals seemed to fall like snow, and the pollen floated along, airborne thick and potent.  The entire town seemed to be a haze of lush, overpowering sickeningly sweet scents.  
  
A single figure walked through the darkness, smooth and silent as the wind through the leaves.  His footprints in the moss were soon overgrown; life seemed to spring forth at his beck and call.  He walked toward the town square, leaving a trail of blooming foliage in his wake.  
  
Sprawling as the town square was, it seemed so much smaller as the plants closed in on the space, the trunks of trees leaned around street corners, as though longing for the scent, the touch, even just a glance from the approaching man.  He urged them on with a fluid motion of his hands, his hips, his body as he made a solitary round of the space.  Flowers followed his footsteps, blooming in bright shades of pinks and deep, luscious reds as he danced to a rhythm and beat that only they seemed to hear.  
  
Finally, he seemed to reach his target.  The church which the man stood before could only be described as grand.  It's arching spires and hulking doorways soared above the solitary figure.  He seemed to pause at this, taking in the fine stonework, the beautiful stained glass of the windows whose faded design seemed as timeless as an old hymn. The figures on the facade peered up to the heavens, arms open wide, reaching and forever singing for mercy and glory.  The halos on their heads were perched with the utmost care, denoting saints, angels, and yes, even La Madonna herself.  
  
The figure stepped forward. The vines creeping up the pale stone stairs, blanketed the doors before him, pushing them open easily in their wake for him to step inside.  There was no resistance.


	15. Chapter 15

"Ienzo, wake up!"

 

Aeleus clutched at Ienzo, shaking the small man, urgency apparent, although he spoke in precise undertones, as though afraid of giving them away in the silence of the night.  The prodigy gasped, jumping to attention though his mind felt sluggish and slow.  Aeleus was kneeling beside his bed and holding him by the shoulders as he slowly came into focus.His guardian let loose a sigh of relief.  "Aeleus, I'm fine." Ienzo rasped, sleep still clinging greedily at him.  

 

Aeleus gave him a slow nod, as though piecing the parts back together.  "Yes.  You're one of the few.  How is your head?"

 

It had always struck Ienzo how Aeleus had been so keen as to know his current moods, but to go so far as to know his inflictions was stretching the boundary of his consciousness.  It struck him as plainly as if Aeleus had screamed it at him: they had been attacked. "Woozy, but no evidence of a physical altercation. I feel slower..." Ienzo trailed. "What happened?" 

 

"There's something in the air that's put everyone to sleep.  I barely avoided it myself." Aeleus imparted quickly, a general reviewing current their current standings. "The darkness has caused low visibility."

 

"Naturally, it's nighttime." Ienzo answered, unbidden.  

 

Aeleus looked at him in heavy silence before continuing. "Sunrise was supposed to be two hours ago."

 

"Shit."  Ienzo hissed, battling against his drooping eyelids, as he was forced to continue breathing deeply. "And what of Even and the rest?"

 

"You're the first I've gotten to." Aeleus answered speedily, his urgency only apparent to those accustomed to his deep measured tones.  He took Ienzo by the hand and helped him from his bed, taking a precious few moments to support the small man as he tested his balance, swaying forward dangerously and sneezing at the heavy air around him.

 

"We must find what's causing this, _before it finds us_." Ienzo huffed.

 

"But not before we find the rest of our party.  We're more powerful as a unit. Safer as well." Aeleus decided, his blunt tones beyond something that Ienzo could reason with.  The prodigy gave an exasperated sigh and nodded his agreement.  They exited into the main camp and couldn't help but be taken aback by what they saw.

 

All of the performers who had been out, enjoying the firelight, the night hours of flirting and the past times it led to thereafter, were splayed upon the ground in varying positions of disarray.  Wine was spilled, the fire had (thankfully) burned itself out into glowing embers. Each individual present was battling for breath as the air around them, in a haze of pale golden and pink, seemed to intoxicate them further than any vino they could have uncorked. A few moaned in their sleep, others curled up at the excessive noise, but none awakened.  

 

They found Arlene easily among the crowds, for she was easily the one most surrounded by men and also, the one with the most empty bottles in her midst.  Ienzo kneeled, taking her by the shoulders and (perhaps a bit harshly) shaking her into consciousness. "Arlene!" He whispered urgently.  "Arlene, get up!" 

 

She snorted as she came to, looking around wildly as though she had been caught in bed with the captain's daughter. "Wh-what?" She mumbled, swatting at Ienzo's face groggily. "Five more minutes-"

 

"NO!  Arlene, now’s not the time!" Ienzo persisted, batting her hands away. She jumped to attention, giving her surroundings another look before peering up at Aeleus and Ienzo, taking in their worried expressions.  

 

"What th’fuck?" She slurred.

 

"Our thoughts exactly." Aeleus confirmed. "We have to..." He trailed, his eyes peering down on one of the other performers slumped nearby on the ground.  Small creepers and vines were smoothly wrapping their way around his arms and legs.  Small, plump maroon flowers bloomed along them, each one emitting a steady stream of golden and pinkish pollen into the air.

 

They watched, transfixed for a moment before Aeleus' low rumble interrupted the silence. "Where is Lumaria?" He demanded.

 

"And, what about Even?" Ienzo added, not wanting to admit to the panic in his voice.  Even was still out there.

 

\-----

 

It was still night when Even came to.He had settled himself under a nearby tree.As random as that sounded, even in his own reasoning, the forests in the surrounding rolling hills provided for a great deal of coverage for the occasional weary traveler hiding from hungry animals, or assassins whose sexual advances one had continually refused.Even was suffering from the latter.

 

Instinctively, his body had wanted to rest.The ordeal in Lumaria’s tent had left him physically and mentally shaken though, and the adrenaline pumping through his body made it impossible to even consider sleep. Thus he wandered along the out rim of the forest, letting his jittery thoughts pass in a blur of panic.

 

What if he follows me?What if he attacks me? But, what if he refuses to even speak to me again? What if he needs my help? After all, he wasn’t quite...himself.

 

Even clamped his slender hands over his ears, as though to quiet his internal monologue, to no avail.The questions persisted beating at his mind, knotting his stomach and generally making him feel as though he were about to test out a ‘human implosion’ theory.He leaned heavily on a nearby tree, and to his great surprise, with a heavy creaking groan he felt it lean back into his touch.

 

He jumped back, nearly toppling down entirely as he stared expectantly at the tree, noting as the foliage seemed to writhe and grow around him, blooming wildly and reaching out.They felt at the air, testing and clearly searching for something unseen as they grew.Their verdant and vivid colors only seemed to grow more vibrant as they swelled enormously in size. 

 

Unnatural did not begin to describe these plants.They seemed hungry, predatory.Even backed away quickly.If it was choosing one possible attacker from another, he would rather choose the graceful, seductive devil he knew rather than the angry, blooming devil he didn’t.He bolted back to the camp, noting how much thicker the grass was and how it clung to his greedily heels as he ran. 

 

He needed to warn Arlene, Ienzo, Aeleus...most of all he needed to get to Lumaria. As much as he dreaded it, their parting sentiments had left him so shaken that he needed to see if Lumaria still had his wits about him.Possibly not. Probably not.Most definitely not.But still, he might be caught off guard by this sudden growth spurt around them.

 

His desperate footsteps came to a screeching halt, kicking up a cloud of dusty dirt around him as he stared at Lumaria’s tent. Or perhaps what the tent used to be: what now stood in it’s place was a crushed, glittering mess of fine, torn fabrics, priceless jewels and golden necklaces and headpieces. Mirrors were cracked, supporting pikes were snapped, a slight smolder coming from where the fire had once been.Even gulped heavily, not spotting a body around the rubble, wounded or otherwise.Following the trail of overgrown vegetation, his mind worked quickly to put the pieces together, even when he wished he did not know the answer.

 

“Oh, no, Lumaria.” He sighed, shoulders slumping from frustration.He followed along the trail of vines, and flowers which marked his path.

 

\-----

 

"This is insane!" Arlene marveled.

 

Running through the streets was like traversing a severally overgrown graveyard. Moss blanketed the streets, the only evidence that there was once stonework were the homes and businesses, which were deeply covered by the foliage.  Glimpses of cobblestone and woodwork peeked out here and there where the vines were currently squirming and growing, or the branches of trees were swelling.  There was no room here for humans in this landscape.  Several men and women were laying on the streets, passed out from either the pollen, or perhaps even the antics of the night.  Either way, there was no moving them now.  The plants had long since grown around the, adopting them into the atmosphere.

 

Ienzo coughed and staggered as Aeleus reached to hold him steady.  He waved off the help, peering down every street, expecting to see the scientist, crumpled and captured.  His thoughts, running fast now, didn't know how to handle the suspicion of Lumaria.

 

Aeleus was incensed.  That much was clear.  There was nothing that insulted him more than the thought of betrayal, and he didn't seem apt to talking this through.  As it stood though, as much as it seemed incriminating, they didn't yet have direct evidence.

 

This darkness was much more familiar than the robot from the previous world, but it was wild, hungry.  It was the petulant and needy.  It wanted more, and apparently, it was not yet satisfied.

 

"We have to do something." Aeleus broke the silence in an angry rumble.  He had a grimace that clearly reflected Ienzo's own.  "We'll end up the same if we don't find him." 

 

"We don't know that he's causing it." Arlene piped in, uncharacteristically worried.

 

Before they could even continue, a mossy tree limb swung dangerously close to the group.  Arlene dodged, as Aeleus pulled Ienzo quickly away, leaving the limb to slam uselessly into the ground, leaving crushed cobblestone in it's wake.  Aeleus's eyes narrowed as mouth set into a tight line.  Ienzo shook his head, sighing at the foolishness that they had stepped right into it.  A new darkness? He could hardly smell through the flowers, and perhaps that was exactly the way Lumaria wanted it. 

 

Or rather, how _Marluxia_ wanted it.

 

"Before we come to any conclusions, we need to find Even.  I'll be able to use his notes and my own logic to create a plan of action."  Ienzo persisted, ignoring the instinctive adrenaline demanding that he take action, begin attacking, find Lumaria.  Being brash about this situation would help absolutely no one.

 

"Look, I know he's a little bit...um...sociopathic, I guess?  This just doesn't make any sense though." Arlene persisted to Aeleus, ignoring Ienzo's suggestion.  "I'm telling you, this just doesn't seem like him.  He's flamboyant to a fault, and and obsessed with controlling the little details.  This just looks like the rainforest vomited on provincial Italy.  It's not his style!" She plowed onward, angry and panicked. 

 

Aeleus didn't respond.  He moved stoically forward and drew forth his weapon.  "We find Even." He agreed with Ienzo, looking at neither of them.

 

"We won't have to look far." Ienzo said with a grim smile, gesturing forward, eyes locked on the town square.  A single lone figure stood there, his long blond hair uncharacteristically disheveled.

 

\-----

 

Even didn't have the energy to jump in surprise as Ienzo's voice shattered the silence around them.

 

"You've been quite elusive." Ienzo greeted. "We were at the camp but we didn't see you at all. Where were you?"

 

Even shook his head slowly in response, his eyes locked on the church doors.

 

"You look unharmed." Aeleus broke in softly, a bit of relief edging into his voice for the first time that night (or morning).

 

"Though, you're kind of a hot mess right now." Arlene laughed nervously, trying to ignore the vines which were currently edging closer to them. "Your hair is kinda-" She started, then taking one look at his focused attention, she sighed. "Nevermind, weirdo, I've got it." And then busied herself in neatening the man's wayward strands.

 

"We need to take cover and consider our options. Lumaria is still unaccounted for." Ienzo pressed on with growing intensity. "He very well may be the cause of all this insanity.  Who knows what the effect may be on the human respiratory system."

 

"Possibly asphyxiation, given the physical capabilities of each individual as well as their cardiovascular health.  The magic nature of the pollen certainly is doing no favors." Even answered, listlessly as his mind was clearly working very quickly, focused elsewhere.

 

"Then we need to stop this." Aeleus answered, his tone leaving little room for argument.   

 

"Easier said then done." Ienzo murmured, caught in his own battle plans.  "The darkness is substantially more potent here.  I can smell it, even through the pollen, and it's only growing in strength." 

 

"And Lumaria isn't here!" Arlene piped in finally, gesturing around as the creeping vines and blooming flowers were now overturning cafe tables as though they were nothing.  "He's still out there!"

 

"He's in the church." Even answered bluntly.  Silence fell, as thick as the pollen around them.  Arlene gaped, beginning to sputter objections.  "It is the most logical conclusion, given that the rate of growth from the steeple doors is 64% faster than that of any of the plants around it.  He is the only one whose powers can account for any of the disruptions, and also the only one of us who knows where the exact town center can be found." 

 

"Then he is gaining power once again.  The darkness has taken him."  Aeleus growled, his brow furrowing ominously as he straightened. Without a moment's hesitation, he summoned forth his weapon, letting it fall heavily in his hand, yet hefting it effortlessly over his shoulder.

 

"No!" Even shrieked, whipping around to face the towering man, only made more intimidating by his grim suggestion and sheer determination.  "Lumaria is not yet lost, he-"

 

"Lumaria is no more.  He is now Marluxia." Aeleus stepped forward, but Even held his ground, casting a venomous glare, fearless despite his wiry frame and remarkable lack of muscle.

 

"Nonsense!  They are one in the same.  If there is no hope for Lumaria, then there is no hope for Dilan, or any of us for that matter." Even gestured at the lot of them, a motley crew of haggard and perplexed individuals if there ever was one, all looking shocked at his outburst. "I will speak with him." 

 

"That would be unwise." Ienzo advised coldly.  "In this state, his power is at it's peak, and unpredictably wild.  He could easily crush you." Aeleus seemed pensive by his side as his grip on his weapon loosened considerably.  

 

Even waved off the notion with annoyance, though the worry that creased his brow was unmistakable.  "Oh please.  I've survived far worse.  I'm going."  He proclaimed, turning on heel and starting toward the steeple doors.  Arlene sprinted after him, easily keeping up.  Ienzo followed with Aeleus jogging along behind, eying the creeping vines wearily.

 

As they reached the church, creepers, vines and flowers of every variety and color poured forth from broken windows and broken door.  Arlene attempted to zap a few of the offending plants into oblivion, but they were just as soon replaced by several more.  She cursed loudly and was surprised to see a puff of condensation arise because of it.  A wave of cold washed over her body, and suddenly, her acrobatic costume seemed to not nearly be enough to keep the chill of the night air at bay.

 

Looking down, she spotted frost lacing the ground around her and turning the entrance way into a pale sheet of ice, encasing the plants which made a desperate attempt at exiting, only to be frozen in spot. Looking up she found (rather predictably) that Even was the source. He was concentrating hard, trying his own luck against the darkness which was clearly surrounding them and having a bit of a better time of it.

 

She whooped enthusiastically. "Alright, nerd!  Go get em'!" Smacking the scientist on the shoulder. 

 

"We'll be waiting here.  Motion if you need us." Aeleus added with a nod of appreciation and approval. 

 

"I think it unwise to go alone, but regardless, we'll keep the entrance clear." Ienzo admitted bitterly. 

 

Even nodded and then stepped carefully forward over the frozen roots and into the church.

 

\-----

 

The church was bigger on the inside then what Even had been expecting.The roof soared above him, and the tiny intricacies of the painted structure were lost to darkness.Well, that and of course the covering of plants which now made their way over the aged walls and beautifully crafted surfaces.The delicate details in the woodwork of the pews was distorted by the many vines that poured over them, snaking their way along the ground, looking for new surfaces to cover, needing to find new ground to claim.They came to an abrupt stand-still when Even neared, sensing the cold, unable to do anything but, quite literally, freeze.

 

The temperature plummeted around Even.He moved forward carefully, concentrating on his power, regulating it, letting the bitter cold seep from him and feeling the frost forming with each footstep.He breathed, in, then out. In, and then out.The beat of his heart seemed to thunder in his ears as the plants hung down from the overhead rafters, wrapped protectively around the statues of angels, clinging restlessly to the porcelain Virgin’s body. 

 

The cold continued as Even moved onward, his hands outstretched to the sides, quivering with the effort as he moved forward. Flowers froze in mid bloom, their colors dulled by a thick layer of white, an intricate lace of ice crystals.The cavernous ceiling seemed to lighten with the same lacework as crystals slowly, gracefully descended to the floor.As far as he knew his plan, in some way, shape or form, was working.

 

“You should bow before me.” 

 

Even might have jumped as that silken tone cut through the darkness, had he not been entirely expecting it. The shadows seemed to twist, writhe and swirl as he spoke, yet all Even could bring himself to do was to shake his head knowingly.Continuing along his way, his vision finally focused enough in the darkness to make out a lone figure, standing at the alter, hands placed on it’s marble surface. For all the chaos caused here, Lumaria looked driven.It was not the tone of triumph that Even had expected, and he had to admit himself slightly elated to see that.

 

“My power is unquestionable.”Lumaria stated, almost more so to himself than Even, who despite the sudden interruption, had not stopped in his slow and steady trek.The plants and squirmed before him.As he passed, they stood, frozen, rigid and docile.

 

“That is not what you want.” Even replied, keeping his eyes trained on Lumaria.

 

The figure chuckled mockingly, watching as the scientist stepped along slowly.The entire process looked to be rather amusing to him.“And you would claim to know me so well?” He replied coyly, running his fingertips over the granite with an air of ownership. “Power is what I want.It is what I desire.You, fool, are simply another trophy and another tool.” 

 

“Incorrect. That is not what you want.” Even pressed on, his steps gradually bringing him closer and closer to the front, freezing all of the greenery as he went.Flowers the size of statues and leaves as large as roofs stood still in his frozen tundra.He breathed out slowly, concentrating as his heartbeat thundered onward in his ears.

 

“You’re so sure?” Lumaria’s teeth were clenched in anger beyond the beautiful grin that he wore.“You seem to think you know all.” 

 

“Incorrect again.I know very little.” Even admitted. Lumaria seemed to perk at this.For Even to admit that he ‘knew very little’ was entirely against everything that the dancer had assumed about the academic up to that point.“That is why I am a scientist.Every experiment brings dozens more questions than it answers.The more one learns, the more uncertain the world becomes.There is no 100% assuredness, and any academic that tell you differently is lying.”

 

Even took a moment to steady himself as he continued gradually moving forward.His frost was wavering.Somewhere beneath the layers of ice, the plants were writhing, fighting and doing their all simply to consume.Even refused to slow though.

 

“It is the same with you.You’re sure that all that you want is power.I believe this is falsehood, you are far from being that simple-minded.” He mounted the first step to the alter.Lumaria glowered down at him.“You want _control_.I think that having direct control over your life and safety is something that you barely knew in your developmental years, and thus to this day you seek to regain it, to collect it, and to master it.”

 

“I believe...rather, I hypothesize that what you need is stability.”Even had nearly reached the top stair.He heaved himself upward, his breath escaping in thin wisps which evaporated into the air.His hands shook as the entire alter slowly began to have a frosty covering, a lace-like lattice which spiraled out from Even’s fingertips and nipped at Lumaria’s as the beautiful man stared back at Even, his face blank as a slate.

 

“I am a God.” Lumaria persisted, shining eyes narrowed.

 

“Incorrect.You are a human.”Even answered, his voice reedy with exhaustion. He panted slowly for a moment, letting the ice, slide up the stained glass windows, splay out along the alter, color each and every statue with a bright, white heavenly layer of snow.Something about the room seemed to lighten as Lumaria’s expression turned from nothing as his brow creased, quite clearly perplexed.His mouth moved, and yet the words seemed to be for the assassin and the assassin alone, lost on all those around him.Even moved slowly to step around the alter to stand next to him, perhaps to hear his continual muttering as the lingering darkness seemed to recede.

 

“They promised power.They promised salvation.I trusted...” He murmured, peering down at his hands, at the granite before him.

 

“They lied.” Even whispered, touching Lumaria’s face softly, watching the frost spiral out along the man’s porcelain skin, tracing beautiful patterns and covering the pained expression with a sheen of silver.“You are perfect, just the way you are.” 

 

Lumaria turned to him, his eyes slowly coming into focus as cold tendrils of ice slowly crept along his body, seeming to finally see the other man for the first time.With a sigh of relief, Lumaria pitched forward, slumping on Even.The other man broke concentration suddenly to catch the dancer, looking around wildly afterwards, expecting an attack on all sides, only to find that the plants had disappeared as it had all been a bad dream.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((I know it's been quite a while since I've updated, but I thought that perhaps I should finally post up the rest of the chapters from this little project of mine. Thank you so much for following it thus far. I'm honored that you're currently reading my work. Thank you for your support. :D There's still a whole lot more to post up, so I hope that you will stick around.))

It was, by far, the most awkward cup of espresso she had ever experienced.  Granted, she had only been introduced to the super-powered caffeinated drink in their previous world, when most of the performers insisted that they simply could not function without their morning 'tazzo d'espresso'.  Sitting there comfortably in the cabin of the ship, settled in her chair, unconsciously plucking at her hair, it was the first time in a long while that she, quite literally, had no idea what to say.  

 

Being that things had slightly calmed down, it gave her a moment to reflect on the events of the night before.  From the moment Aeleus and Ienzo had shaken her urgently awake, she had been in a continual state of 'What the hell is going on?'. 

 

Aeleus had stayed stoically silent when they were waiting for Even directly outside the church doors. His weapon was still drawn, and there seemed to be a grim determination and unease to his stance. Ienzo lingered nearby, still spouting how ludicrous the plan was, how the plants were sure to overpower him in all of this darkness, he was out of his element, he was going to die, they needed to escape, or infiltrate. Arlene had mentally cut him off at this point. She didn't suffer fools gladly, after all.  She looked at Aeleus for support, finding very little to be had.

 

When the plants had gotten close enough to attack, they did their best at fending them away.  They weren't exactly hard targets, but it was the sheer amount of plant matter that was approaching that made it a threat.  Their powers combined made quick work of a quick battle, but it wasn't until they all seemed to freeze in place that the tides turned completely.  They dissipated in a haze of pollen, as though they had never been there in the first place. The only telling signs of their takeover were a few overturned tables, a couple destroyed cafe awnings and the broken doors of the church.

 

Even staggered out of the church, barely holding Lumaria aloft as he did. He managed to let them know that they could no longer afford to stay in this world.  They would be awakening soon and they had to make their speedy, sci-fi style, teleporting escape on to the ship. Ienzo had withdrawn the small summoner from his jacket pocket and the ship had appeared out of God-knows-where. 

 

Which brought her to where she was currently.  The cushion of the seat crinkled loudly as she adjusted her hind quarters and waited for someone to speak. She glanced at Ienzo.  Ienzo glanced right back at her.  He tilted his head to the back room, where Lumaria was currently passed out on a bunker. She shrugged, giving him a bewildered expression.  She nodded to the captain's chair, where Even was currently doubled over the control system, preparing for take-off. Ienzo gave her the same exact shrug in response, perhaps a touch less theatrical. 

 

Aeleus watched the proceedings with vague interest until all three of them decided it was high time to consult Even.  

 

'Say something' Arlene mouthed to Ienzo.

 

'You!' Ienzo mouthed back, gesturing angrily.

 

'You're his son, or student, or whatever.' She mouthed.

 

'What?' Ienzo gestured his confusion. Clearly, he had never had to speak silently in class behind a teacher's back. 

 

"Ienzo has a question." Arlene spouted loudly, throwing her companion under the bus.  He growled at her in response.

 

Arlene was rather surprised to see that Even didn't turn around and immediately snap at the lot of them to quiet down and show some respect.  He let out a long sigh, ticking the last of the coordinates into the ship.  The darkness had receded from the sky, revealing a glowing sun to the horizon, which colored the entire brass cockpit in a pale, peach shade, softening Even's already tired features as he turned around to face them.

 

Running his hands over his eyes. "It was Lumaria, not Marluxia.  The darkness was growing progressively stronger. I feel we've reached the best possible scenario for now in leaving the world virtually unharmed and drawing the darkness away." He closed his eyes tight, trying to shut out the memory of his words, his threats, as blood still pumped through the scientist’s body, and his heartbeat echoed in his ears.

 

"He fell prey to the enemy." Aeleus observed.

 

"Technically, it really could have been any one of us that to fall prey to it. The power was growing. It was simply a test of chance and probability." Even countered, apparently expecting this. "His world, his weaknesses.  It's not surprising that the odds were stacked against him." 

 

To his surprise, Aeleus nodded his agreement without another word of protest before falling silent once again. Arlene sipped her espresso and nudged Ienzo painfully in the ribs.  He groaned, drawing Even's attention to him.

 

"Where are we headed now?"  The prodigy asked, not missing a beat and yet shooting a glare at Arlene all the same.

 

"Away." Even answered, gesturing vaguely with a tired hand. "The ship's control board is showing a few warning signs.  It needs maintenance, but we haven't the time, or the supplies." He muttered, shaking his head slowly as though mentally adding it to the ever-growing list of crap he needed to attend to. "There are a few neighboring worlds we can take safe harbor at, but preferably, we should find one that has parts we can purchase."

 

"Or steal." Arlene added with a half-hearted grin over her espresso cup.  

 

"Or salvage." Ienzo finished, giving Even a long, pensive look before speaking again. "Go rest.  You're no good to us like this.  I'll pilot onwards from here."Even’s protests were weak, but certainly just as shrill as usual, but Ienzo easily waved them off.“You’re not mentally present.I can pilot until you’re rested, trust me.” Ienzo persisted.

 

With a hiss of distaste, Even eased himself from the captain’s chair with obvious reluctance. “The ship is delicate at this time.Be gentle.”And before he could retreat into the bunkers, one final voice piped in.

 

“I’m glad you’re alright, Even.I didn’t think you’d make it out of there for a second...” Arlene blurted out quickly, as though pulling off a band-aid.Even stopped to peer back at her, his green eyes wide with surprise as he grappled for words through his sparse, broken thoughts.

 

“I didn’t think I would either.Ah...thank you.” He replied finally, awkwardly shifting his arms as though unsure what to do with them suddenly.She slurped her espresso loudly and after a second, it seemed to dawn on Even.“Where did you even get that?” He demanded, gesturing to her drink.

 

She smiled widely, mischievously, but didn’t respond.Even shook his head, muttering something that sounded like, “I don’t even care anymore...” before retiring.

 

\-----

 

“So, do you think they had sex then?” Arlene asked, taking a sizable spoonful of ice cream from her bowl.

 

“Why do you always have to cross that line?” Aeleus grumbled, wondering if she was trying to make a show of her toughness or if she was really just that dirty minded.Both her and Aeleus sat at their stations, dutifully watching their monitors for possible attackers as Ienzo piloted the ship along with much more functionality than they were now accustomed.Aeleus preferred it greatly to Even’s rather impatient style of warping along at light-speed without disregard to the passengers sense of equilibrium. 

 

“Can we please concentrate on the task at hand?” Ienzo snipped at his blond companion.“I need to know if we’re nearing any possible landing spaces and your job is to be scouting them.” 

 

“I’ve got it, I’ve got it.” Arlene consented, exasperated, as she crunched a few chocolate chips. “So, is it true then, do you think?” She pressed on.

 

“What...?” Ienzo said, adjusting the steering wheel to suit his height a bit more.

 

“About the darkness.That it’s getting more powerful now as it follows us.” She continued airily.

 

“It seems so.” Aeleus responded softly, perhaps even a touch sadly.“It nearly claimed Lumaria the same way it did Dilan. We have to stay strong.” 

 

Silence settled between them for a moment, Arlene chewing thoughtfully, Ienzo manning the controls and Aeleus keeping careful watch, each lost quite a bit beyond that in their own thoughts. 

 

They might have even continued in that pensive silence had it not been for the killer robot on the starboard bow.

 

\-----

 

Lumaria awoke to the sensation of being, quite literally, dumped out of his cot.The beds aboard Even’s creation were not exactly the most comfortably ones in the world, but they certainly did not seem apt to throwing people from their vicinity, unless this was some strange, cruel joke of science.He rubbed his head unconsciously, checking for any outward damage, as he eased himself into a sitting position.Covered as he was with serviceably warm blankets, which had tumbled out with him upon exit, he still managed to spot a companion.

 

Even was trying to catch his own bearings as he rubbed his sore back and attempted to stand on the unsteady ground.

 

Unsteady...ground...oh, good God, the ship.

 

“Ienzo!” Even called, dashing up from the barracks, ignoring other man entirely in his panic.“Ienzo, what’s going on-” He screamed before another jarring crash sent him tripping over once more.Lumaria held himself up easily, his sense of balance honed by battle, but Even was struggling to regain his footing.The scientist’s legs seemed to tremble as he pushed himself mercilessly to get to the cabin.Lumaria caught him by the arm and hefted him up once again.He sparred the graceful assassin a sidelong nod of thanks before dashing onward.

 

Ienzo was at the helm of the control room, his teeth gritted with concentration, his jaw tight and arms taunt with tension, his fingers dashing along the many buttons and levers which meant absolutely nothing to the unknowing eye.Even staggered into the room once again, yet before he could even begin to try to form words, the answer fell off the prodigy’s lips.

 

“Attacking robot, fifteen feet in length attached to the underside of the starboard bow.Two have been shot down before it, but it’s latching into our internal control system.” Ienzo admitted breathlessly.“I know this looks bad,-” 

 

“We must land!There’s no way the ship can sustain much more damage!”Even demanded shrilly, his head swiveling to look at the overhead monitors as they blinked a myriad of color coded emergencies, each getting progressively worse.An explosion rocked the vessel and Even grasped Arlene’s chair for support.She cursed loudly as she accidentally dropped her ice cream all over the steel floor and in that ludicrous moment, Even could only find himself wondering how exactly she managed to get the computer to produce mint chocolate chip when he had only programmed vanilla, chocolate and peanut butter into the flavoring system.

 

“I’m trying!” Ienzo persisted, knocking Even back to reality.“There’s a world ahead!That smaller green one.We’ll land there.” 

 

“It’s such a small target!” Even quivered at the thought of a failed landing.

 

“I can do it!” Ienzo hissed through gritted teeth

 

“Just let _me_ take the wheel!” 

 

“No, I can do it!Let me-” Ienzo began, as the world drew closer, within their immediate forcefield, but then the lights gave out, leaving them in thick, complete darkness. Arlene shrieked in surprise, Aeleus gripped his chair and with the sudden horrifying sinking feeling, he realized that the lights on the dashboard of the controls were flickering ominously as Ienzo’s hands flew over them.They were losing power, rather quickly.

 

“Ienzo!” Even screamed and there was the sickening groan of metal bending and tearing somewhere behind them.Aeleus had the sudden, horrifying feeling of his stomach jumping into his throat and it was only a moment before he realized that they were falling. 

 

\-----

 

The complete darkness which greeted Aeleus was broken only by the lights flickering in the control room. The bright yellow stung his eyes as the light fought for life.  Propping himself up off of the floor, he rubbed his back, working the soreness from his muscles as he tried to take stock of exactly what had happened.  Yet another reason to distrust technology.  Flying was torture, plain and simple. 

 

With a start, he recalled the battle that had led to their crash, Even's shrieking cry of 'land the ship!' and Ienzo's desperate attempt to keep everything under control.  Shoving himself from the ground, he realized that there was not a moment to lose.  Ienzo may be in danger, harmed, even-

 

He dared not allow himself to think it.  Painfully swallowing down panic, he ignored the angry throbbing in his temples, and staggered towards the central panel of the ship.  In the low light he spotted Even's body splayed on the floor beside the captain's chair.  Ienzo was slumped over the controls, whose bright, blinking lights were now dimmed quite permanently.

 

"Ienzo!" Aeleus whispered urgently, shaking him gently by the shoulder, waiting with bated breath for a response.

 

And, to his relief, a response came speedily.  The young man snapped to consciousness with a deep sniff as he waved his arms in the most ungainly display of surprise Aeleus had seen him display in years.  With a groan, he lowered his head back into his hands, apparently trying to ward off the pain of a migraine. 

 

"Aeleus. What a pleasant surprise.  You've woken me up twice today, and I couldn't be more grateful." He rasped, and Aeleus couldn't help but feel a smile tug at his own lips.  If anyone could manage to be sassy in a more grim situation, it was Ienzo.  

 

He felt gently along the back of the boy's neck, checking for alignment or injury. "Any pain?"

 

"Not much." Ienzo responded with a small shrug, shaking his head.

 

"Then, you're lucky!" Even's voice cut through the silence as Aeleus spotted him shifting on the floor through the dim flickering light.He needed no more prompting than that.Moving quickly, despite the migraine now pounding in his head, Aeleus stepped around the captain’s chair and kneeled beside Even, gently lifting his struggling body from the floor. The scientist clung to his massive arm tightly for a moment, letting his equilibrium set in before turning back around once again to face Ienzo at the control panel.

 

“Of all of the terrible-!” Even began, but didn’t get too far before Ienzo sat bolt upright in his seat, glaring venomously at Even.

 

“It was not my fault!” He interjected. “The controls were entirely shot and the delay made it extremely difficult to even pilot the ship correctly!Even aside from that, the darkness attacked our navigation system first, knocking out our ability to target and making it virtually impossible to automatically aim!The landing was the best I could even hope to muster without any lights in the cabin, so don’t even think about _blaming me_!” Ienzo finished, nearly panting with the effort of fitting all of his reasoning within half a second of starting and not allowing Even to interrupt.His glare dared the fellow scientist to even try to challenge his logic.

 

Even gulped down air for a moment, as though he had been punched in the stomach, unconsciously using Aeleus’s arm for support before even trying to speak once again. “I was just going to say, of all the terrible luck we’ve had.” He said woodenly, staring blankly back at Ienzo as the young prodigy’s murderous expression softened immediately.The silence between them stretched until finally, a rather higher pitched voice cut in from the darkness.

 

“Sorry to interrupt the family feud, but what the hell is going on?” Arlene’s voice asked as her shape rose shakily from the ground, her hand quickly swiping at her face (probably to wipe away the ice cream that she had fallen into when she hit the floor).

 

“I believe Ienzo just made an ass out of himself.” Lumaria observed.He appeared, standing next to Even, which nearly gave the scientist a heart attack.The man moved silently enough to justify nearly anything at this point, Aeleus noted grimly. And this was even when he was weakened from their previous world’s encounters.

 

“Oh, thank you, but I was not the one who nearly plunged a world into a plant filled darkness if I remember correctly.” Ienzo countered without missing a beat.

 

“Enough.” Aeleus rumbled. Everyone fell silent. 

 

Feeling a warm dripping sensation, Ienzo rather knowingly felt along his scalp, not surprised to withdraw his fingertips and spy a sticky dark substance running along them. "I'm bleeding." He informed them.Aeleus shifted in the darkness.  Ienzo knew the panic that must have crossed his features at that breath of a moment.

 

"Oh screw it!" Arlene snarled from the entrance way.  "We can't stand around in the dark forever!  I'm getting off this hunk of junk!" She stormed her way towards the door.

 

"You can't!  We don't know the if the atmosphere is suitable for human habitation."  Ienzo warned, only vaguely distracted by Even muttering about how his ‘hunk of junk’ was a work of art compared to her hair-do. His words fell on deaf (or uncaring) ears as he heard the battered doorway being pried open by the nymph.  

 

Light poured into the control room, rendering Arlene's small form into a silhouette and revealing the overturned control room.  Wires and cables hung uselessly from the ceiling, sparking every now and then.  The floor was littered with nameless metal pieces, control levers, and in one rather strange case, ice cream and espresso.  

 

Even staggered and swayed dangerously on his feet, breathing slowly as his eyes took in the destruction.  Aeleus was helping Ienzo from his seat as the young man held his forehead and squinted at the brightness. Lumaria lingered nearby the edge of the light, taking a moment to take stock of the room himself, watching the rest of the party rather closely through rather tired eyes.

 

"Hey guys, the weather's great!  Looks like we can commandeer a castle and everything. I call dibs on the master bedroom." Arlene's figure gestured to the east.  Gradually, the rest of the party came over to see what all the fuss seemed to be about.

 

The rolling hills around them were green and rich, but there was a remarkably gray fog that lingered over the blades, ghosting the landscape greedily.  The forests which surrounded their ship was thick, verdant green and the crisp smell of new life filled the broken control room.  Even and Ienzo leaned heavily against the side of the ship as they disembarked, but seemed amazed nonetheless at the spectacle which met them.

 

At the crest of the hilltops, just barely present through the mysterious fog which lingered, was a squat looking stone castle, rather humble seeming from afar.  

 

"It's abandoned.  Falling apart." Lumaria observed cooly, his vision better than most even at a distance. "You're welcome to any master bedroom, if it's even intact." 

 

"Nah, on second thought I'll leave it to Aeleus.  He need a big room, doesn't he?" She teased, laughing softly and glancing back for his rather adorably bashful reaction.  

 

Arlene was surprised to find that he hadn't even been listening.  He stood, stock still, feet planted in place, staring up at the castle.  His color had gone completely ashen and he seemed entirely unaware of the rest of the party as he grasped the side of the ship for support. For the first time since she had ever met him, he seemed fearful.

 

Even's brow was knit for a moment, staring at the structure as well, entirely perplexed.  He peered around slowly at their surroundings, as though searching for the correct word.  "It can't be..." He muttered under his breath, shaking his head.  "But, that castle, it's unmistakable."

 

"Where are we?" Ienzo asked. 

 

"This must be Scot-" Even began, and as though sensing it, he swerved around to look at Aeleus. "land..." He finished lamely, an unspoken apology passing between them.  Aeleus glared warningly in response.

 

"What's going on?" Ienzo pressed, his tone the demanding one of someone unaccustomed to being left in the dark.

 

"Nothing." Aeleus murmured, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes as though he could rub away this forested world like a bad dream.Lumaria was watching him carefully, prowling on the sudden change of behavior, but also intrigued in the fact that it seemed to even extend beyond just him. Even stood just inside his line of vision, leaning heavily on the battered ship and pointedly staring at the ground, refusing to acknowledge his own slip up.

 

“Our faithful ship looks a tad bit busted.” Arlene admitted awkwardly, looking up at the exterior with a grim expression.The metal was burned and peeled horribly from the outside, leaving ugly scars across the bronze surface.The hiss of grey steam rose from the open, mechanical wounds and spiraled into the sky, looking alien and unwelcome among all of the pristine white clouds.The crash itself had left the earth beneath it deeply scarred, digging huge ruts into the rich soil where the landing gear had refused to work.

 

Ienzo looked fleetingly from the ship to Even, crossing his arms and forgetting about the small wound on his head.“Chances of repair?” He asked in undertones.

 

“Exceedingly low, given our current surroundings.I do not think that there will be any mechanical parts here to buy, steal or salvage.” He breathed in response, looking just a touch older, watching yet another one of his creations failing and being torn apart.

 

“I assumed so.” Lumaria added, giving the exterior a keen glance as well. “This doesn’t help us in the slightest. We need to find shelter, and preferably not any which will electrocute us in our sleep, or collapse.”

 

“And, we have to heal.You weirdos look like hell.Even you, big guy.” Arlene added, giving Aeleus a tight grin.Any fool with eyes could tell something was troubling him.Or rather, someone who knew Aeleus would be able to tell. Those small changes in his mood now seemed like tectonic shifts now that she had become accustomed to his presence. “I’m going back in the ship to grab our potions and medical stuff.All of you wait here.” And before any one of them could protest, she dashed back up into the control room and hurried to grab the necessary supplies.

 

\-----

 

Dried fruit. Dried meat. Dry mouth.Frankly, they would have to consider themselves lucky to even have a stream nearby to counteract their rations.The darkness of the forest might have been deeply frightening on any other occasion, but the entire atmosphere seemed to be infused with magic of a deep and warming sense. It felt like home, like comfort despite the gnarled vines and roots which stuck up at odd angles, or the lush forest grounds which seemed only too willing to keep the party at bay, or even the occasional animal who ventured just a tad bit too close to their camp before Arlene (keeping her fighting skills honed to a fault), pegged the little buggers for later meal possibilities. It went on like this for the better part of a few days while their immediate wounds healed.Magic certainly lessened the sting of mending muscles and closing cuts and fading bruises, but it didn’t completely erase it.All the while, the worry in Even’s eyes seemed to refuse to lessen as the thought time and time again on the ship and how it could possibly be salvaged. 

 

Or, at least, that’s what Arlene assumed he had been worried about.Ienzo, of course, knew better.He knew the look that passed between Even and Aeleus, the tense body language, the set of his guardian’s jaw and the words he was holding at bay.It only seemed to get stranger, the more time that passed in that forest, the tricks of the light which flickered within the leaves, the giggling which he could not seem to pinpoint or the lights which flickered deep within the trees in the dead of night. 

 

There were times when Ienzo swore he could have heard voices, words he did not understand.One one such occasion, he had been certain the voices had taken shape only to be interrupted by the quick thunk of horses hooves thrumming on the soft earth.Their rhythmic beat was enough of a warning for Ienzo to back away and gain his bearings, preparing to draw forth his weapon if need be.Thankfully, Ienzo sensed Aeleus coming out of the copse of trees behind him, hearing the same interruption to their peaceful camp as Ienzo did.He stayed carefully silent but kept himself tense, ready to attack.

 

He would have never guessed exactly what would have jumped out into their clearing.A young girl, barely fifteen, riding a sizable chestnut Clydesdale thumped into view.The horse seemed to move to her slightest touch as she directed it to slow down before the duo.Her huge, red ringlets seemed to double the size of her body as it hung heavily down her back.Reaching around to pat the horses’s neck fondly, she finally seemed to glance around and notice the pair of them blatantly watching her as her horse pawed tentatively at the ground, looking for fresh grass to graze on.Her blue eye seemed alight with recognition as she murmured something under her breath. “Aeneas.”

 

Aeleus tensed at the unexpected prospect of this stranger but Ienzo leaned forward to hear. “Greetings!I hope we have not startled you. It was certainly not our intention.” He gave her a soft, bashful grin and took a step forward to present himself.

 

The young girl pulled back on the horse, giving her a bit of space between herself and the newcomers.Thankfully enough, she was not reaching for the expertly crafted short-bow which was strapped to her back, but only looking at the two of them thoughtfully.Or perhaps, just one of them thoughtfully. 

 

“Ah, pardon me, travelers.” She began, stumbling over her words, her scottish accent thick, yet wholeheartedly becoming of the bright young voice. “Here you are, lookin’ for firewood and water, and I interrupt you with my folk tale babble.” She laughed freely until she noticed that she was the only one doing it. Falling into a confused silence she glanced at Aeleus’s grim, worried expression and knew that something was not quite right.

 

“I’m not quite sure I understand.” Ienzo said carefully, smiling to comfort the young lady, intrigued by her response as he was, he needed to know exactly where she was from or if she posed them a threat. “What are you speaking of?” He asked, buying time.

 

“I didn’t mean any harm.I only meant-well, you look a whole lot like the Hero of Rustag.It’s a Boresti tale m’da told me when I was young.” She said with a sheepish shrug.“I wouldn’t bring it up but the resemblance is striking.”Ienzo cast a glance at Aeleus, as though expecting to suddenly realize what she meant by this.He gave a subtle shake of the head and Ienzo turned back.

 

“My name is Ienzo and this is Aeleus.I’m afraid we’re not familiar with this story.Could you tell us?” 

 

Her horse seemed to have found a rather tasty bit of grass to chew on because it stopped it’s nervous shifting to more fruitful past times.She slid herself from the horse’s back easily, being that she seemed to need no saddle to ride in the first place. Not bothering to straighten her skirts or her hair, she stood before them and gave them a stern looking over before finally continuing on. Ienzo smiled at her appreciatively while Aeleus stayed carefully silent.

 

“Aeneas battled away the plague of darkness in the village of Rustag.They say he was the only one with the strength to do so, and he was just a boy o’ my age at the time. They say his power may have been fae-given, but who knows?” She trailed, searching internally for the exact memory of the story, scratching her huge bonnet of hair to try to find the idea behind the tale, but coming up with nothing. “Frankly, I think he must have been pretty courageous, fae-power or not.” She finished, shrugging a single shoulder, her riding dress crumpled to one side and yet she hardly cared to straighten it.

 

“Is that so?” Ienzo mused.“Intriguing.Well, we are not from around here, you see.”

 

“I can tell.” Replied the young woman with a wide grin at their outlandish clothing.“But you’ve been taking care of yourselves pretty well all the same, it seems.” She said with an approving nod, giving her horse a rather restless glance before realizing that she was still in the middle of a conversation. “Ah, I should really be going.” 

 

“Please be careful.” Aeleus interjected, his deep voice ringing out in the conversation for the first time and sounding somewhat strained from disuse.

 

“Hm?” She perked, turning around to look at him.

 

“Please be careful.” He repeated. “There are fae-folk in these woods.” He warned, giving her a significant look.She cleared her throat uncomfortably before re-mounting. 

 

“So says my father too.” She said with a shrug. “I’ve never seen one in all my life, but I’ll keep your warning in mind, stranger.” She admitted, pulling the huge horse into action.“Take care, travelers.” She said with a grin before plunging into the brush before them.

 

\-----

 

"She said, what?" A piece of dried meat nearly fell from Even's mouth.  He looked at Ienzo, color draining from his face and, quite suddenly, he looked as though he matched his ashen blond hair.  He gulped heavily, keeping his eyes trained forward as he composed himself, but there was a clear quiver in his hand as he quickly put his hands into his worn lab coat pockets.  

 

"The Hero of Rustag." Ienzo iterated, looking aloof, standing rather close to Aeleus.  The man stayed stoically silent, his brow creased with worry.  "Aeneus, or something of that nature, wasn't it, Aeleus? How intriguing."  

 

Lumaria and Arlene were busy cleaning up the campfire from earlier that day, and while they (for once) stayed politely silent, it was foolhardy to believe that they could not overhear.  Lumaria's eyes flashed from Even to Aeleus, wondering exactly who would break first.  He had his bets, but really, it was anyone's game.

 

"So, which one of you is going to talk?" Ienzo said lightly, a steely glint in his eye as he gestured smoothly between them.  "You've obviously been here before.  That much is clear.  Random passers-by know of a story of someone who looks and sounds distinctly like you." He glanced at Aeleus, who seemed to be breathing deeply, arms crossed, but aside from that he looked entirely undeterred. Even, on the other hand was looking at Aeleus now with wide expectant eyes, chewing his bottom lip.  The scientist's body was wound tense.

 

"You can't keep him in the dark like this." Even hissed, his clenched fists shook at his sides as he stood before Aeleus, completely ignoring Ienzo's surprise.

 

"Don't you dare." Aeleus's tone was soft, but cold, a clear warning.

 

"He deserves to know!  This is his story as well!" Even countered, his voice shrill as he gestured widely and erratically to Ienzo as though he had been longing to say this since they had arrived.

 

"The last thing he needs right now-" 

 

"Who give you the right to judge? The brightest mind our known universe has yet seen and you think he can't handle his own history?" Even cried, cringing his hands in the air as though the very ludicrousness of the idea was harming him. He continued breathlessly. "He deserves the right to know. If you don't tell him, I will!"

 

"You wouldn't." The low rumble in his voice was something beyond the previous warnings.  There was a steely glint in Aeleus's eyes which Ienzo had never seen before in his most trusted guardian. He had unfolded his arms now as he glared down at Even, a tower of a man who was every bit as imposing as he intended on being.  Even glared directly back up at him, his thin hands draw once again into fists by his sides, suddenly all to aware that his wrist was only a fraction of the size of Aeleus's neck. Lumaria was staring blatantly now at Aeleus, standing carefully still.

 

Aeleus had never hurt anyone before if it could have been helped.  Even was the first to see that in the man.  At the tender age of eleven, he had been the first to tell him that he was 'not a monster'.  That he should speak his mind, because it was a mind worth listening to. He had convinced him that honing his mental abilities was just as important as his physical ones.

 

Ienzo needed to know.  He needed...

 

Even sucked in air.  "Ienzo, this is your homeworl-" The back of Aeleus's hand cracked across Even's face with enough force to send him sprawling on the ground, his body splayed at an odd angle.  He wasn't moving.

 

Lumaria darted forward between Aeleus and Even's broken form, a dagger drawn, his breathing deadly calm though his eyes were wide with controlled rage.  Arlene's hand was clasped over her mouth.  

 

Ienzo was looking down at Even, and even his pale skin had turned sickeningly ashen as, with clinical precision he tried to discern the angle at which the scientist’s neck was laying, if the blow had jarred him into shock or perhaps injured him even further.  With an attack from anyone else, these assumptions might have been laughable, but Aeleus was involved. 

 

Aeleus had struck him.  Aeleus had done it.  He threatened him, and he had done it. Even had always been an annoyance at the worst of times, but Ienzo could always depend on Aeleus to be able to handle the older scientist.  They had history, more history than the young prodigy was willing to admit.  Aeleus, his ever calm, ever steadfast bastion of strength and reason had lashed out. 

 

Holding on to his resolve, Ienzo turned to face Aeleus only to find that he was gone.  

 

The ground began to tremble.


End file.
